Performance Upgrades of Operational

Wind Turbines
Jon Olson – Siemens & Paul Botha - Meridian
 Abstract

• At the 2013 NZWEA conference we gave a presentation on the

functionality of High Wind Ride Through (HWRT) that was tested and
subsequently installed in the West Wind turbines. This is a software
upgrade implemented into the turbines that extended their operation
above 25 m/s. This year we will update on the actual performance
realised on the West Wind site and outline other wind turbine
performance upgrades developed by Siemens that are under
consideration for application on the Te Uku wind turbines. Siemens will
outline the functionality of these features while Meridian will offer its view
on these wind turbine performance upgrades from an owner/operators
perspective.

Page 2 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 HWRT introduced to increase operation
above 25m/s

 Wind Turbines typically shut down Traditional power curve,

when the wind speed exceeds 25 m/s including the hysteresis loop
(10 min. av.), restarting when the

Power
average wind speed falls below
20 m/s.

 Shutdown can have a severe impact

on grid stability as production goes
from full capacity to zero instantly.

 Shutdowns result in extended

production losses due to the resulting
hysteresis loop, as indicated in the
figure. 20m/s 25m/s Wind Speed

Page 3 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 Extending the operational range for
improved park performance

 Extended operation during high

Power curve, with the Siemens High
wind speeds. Wind Ride Through application

Power
 Intelligent de-rating of rotor
speed and power output without
impacting structural integrity.

 Reduces production losses due

to significant reduction of high
wind shutdowns.

20m/s 25m/s Wind Speed

Page 4 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 West Wind Results

 Information provided on the

HWRT capability showed that
the introduction of HWRT at
West Wind would introduce a
1.6% improvement in energy
production.

 After 4½ months of operation,

Meridian undertook an exercise
to quantify the actual upside at
West Wind.

Page 5 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 How to quantify the improvement

 Quantifying the improvement is not straightforward, particularly as high wind

shut down not dependant on turbine mean wind speed only.

 Shut down dependant on turbine control algorithm but typically includes a gust
wind speed or some averaging period less than 10 minutes.

 Our approach was to look at the cut-out and high wind re-start of each
individual turbine in a northerly and southerly wind direction and use that as a
basis for determining the relative cut out wind speeds.

 Based on those values, we could derive a theoretical high wind speed loss
and compared that with the actual loss, prior to HWRT being implemented i.e.
based on 3 years of performance data.

Page 6 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 NWS [m/s]
NWS [m/s]
WWD101

Page 7
WWD101
WWD102
WWD102
WWD103
WWD103
WWD104
WWD104
WWD105
WWD105
WWD106
WWD106
WWD107
WWD107
WWD108
WWD109 WWD108
WWD110 WWD109
WWD201 WWD110
WWD202 WWD201

2014
WWD203 WWD202
WWD204 WWD203
WWD205 WWD204
WWD206 WWD205
WWD207 WWD206
WWD208 WWD207
WWD209 WWD208
WWD210 WWD209
WWD301 WWD210
WWD302 WWD301
WWD303 WWD302
WWD304 WWD303
WWD305 WWD304
WWD306 WWD305
WWD307 WWD306
WWD308 WWD307
WWD309 WWD308
West Wind Turbine Cut-out

WWD310 WWD309

Cut out
WWD401 WWD310
Cut out

WWD402 WWD401
WWD403 WWD402

Cut in
WWD404 WWD403
Southerly winds
Cut in
Northerly winds

WWD405 WWD404
WWD406 WWD405
WWD407 WWD406
WWD408 WWD407
WWD409 WWD408
WWD410 WWD409
WWD411 WWD410
WWD501 WWD411
WWD502 WWD501
WWD503 WWD502
WWD504
Cut out and cut in wind speeds for all WWD turbines, prior to HWRT

WWD503
WWD505
Cut out and cut in wind speeds for all WWD turbines, prior to HWRT

WWD504
WWD506 WWD505
WWD507 WWD506
WWD508 WWD507
WWD509 WWD508
WWD510 WWD509
WWD511 WWD510
WWD601 WWD511
WWD602 WWD601
WWD603 WWD602
WWD604 WWD603
WWD605 WWD604
WWD606 WWD605
WWD607 WWD606
WWD608 WWD607
WWD609 WWD608
© Siemens AG All rights reserved.

WWD610 WWD609
WWD610
 Calculating performance improvement

 Having established the turbine/wind direction specific cut-out and high wind speed
cut-in, the theoretical loss, if HWRT was not operational, could be calculated.

 Analysis shows actual performance improvement was in the order of 1.7%.

Turbine WWD 504
2/7/13 - 3/7/13
2500 80

70
2000
60

Wind speed [m/s]

50
Power [kW]

1500
25 m/s 20 m/s
shut down re-start 40

1000
30

20
500
10

0 0
8 PM 12 AM 4 AM 8 AM 12 PM 4 PM 8 PM

Power with HWRT Power without HWRT Wind speed

Page 8 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 West Wind Results - illustration

35.0 35.0
30.0 30.0
25.0
NWS [m/s]

25.0

NWS [m/s]
20.0 20.0
15.0 15.0
10.0
10.0
5.0
5.0
0.0
0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 0.0
0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24
Hours from start of period
Hours from start of period
19/12/2009 01/08/2010 15/01/2011 31/03/2013 02/04/2013 02/06/2013

13/05/2011 22/06/2012
360
360

Wind direction [Deg]

300
wIND DIRECTION[m/s]

300
240
240
180
180
120 120
60 60
0 0
0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Hours from start of period Hours from start of period

31/03/2013 02/04/2013 02/06/2013

Page 9 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 West Wind Results

Page 10 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 Summary - HWRT

 High Wind Ride Through has delivered quantifiable benefits to the

West Wind project and will deliver likewise at Mill Creek

 Easily implemented through a software upgrade

Page 11 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 Further performance enhancements

 Siemens continue to develop and make aerodynamic

improvements to our blades.

Page 12 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 Vortex Generators

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 Components
Vortex Generators

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 DinoTail®

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 Components
DinoTail

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 DinoShells®

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 Components
DinoShell

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 Power Curve comparison SWT-2.3-101
Clear improvement between 6m/s & 12 m/s

Page 19 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 Power Curve comparison SWT-2.3-101
AEP comparison rev.1 & rev 3+

Page 20 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

 Te Uku – Possible Blade upgrade

 Meridian has calculated that there is a potential

3% theoretical increase if the blade upgrade
was implemented at Te Uku

 This upgrade is more complex than a simple

software upgrade as was the case with HWRT;
considerations include:
 Cost of additional hardware

 Cost of specialised technicians to install the

hardware

 Time required to fit hardware and consequential

turbine down time during fitting

 Meridian is working through this process with

Siemens to determine whether there is a
business case for this improvement.

Page 21 2014 © Siemens AG All rights reserved.

Thank you for your attention