Wind power: What is a wind turbine farm?

Understanding the Components of a Wind Turbine Farm:

Wind turbine farm are the basic form of wind power grid-connected operation in the world. In areas with good wind energy resources, hundreds of wind turbines with a single unit capacity of kW to MW or above are installed in groups according to a certain array layout. The wind farm consists of: wind turbine groups, collector lines, step-up substations, step-up transformer reactive compensation devices (capacitors, reactors, static reactive compensation devices, filters), and centralized control rooms.

1.Requirements for the construction of wind farms

①Wind energy quality

The quality of wind energy must be high. The primary condition for the site of a wind farm must be rich in wind energy resources. It is suitable to build a large wind farm only when the annual average wind speed is above 5m/s, the effective wind hours at a height of 30m are above 6000h, and the effective wind energy density is above 240w/m^2. Factors that affect wind energy quality include annual average wind speed, average wind power density, wind frequency distribution, number of hours of effective wind speed, and wind direction stability.

②Site wind direction

The prevailing wind direction at the site of the wind farm is stable. Stable wind direction can not only increase the utilization rate of wind energy, but also extend the life of the wind turbine. The turbulence level of the wind farm should be small. The wind is random and is affected by the surface roughness of the site and nearby obstacles.

The formation of wind field turbulence is generally caused by the wind duct being too rough or the rapid changes in wind speed and wind direction caused by obstacles. It not only affects the output of the wind turbine, but also causes the wind turbine to vibrate and unevenly load, reducing the service life of the wind turbine, and in severe cases, it can also cause accidents where the blades fly out.

③ Natural disasters

There should be fewer natural disasters at the wind farm site. Strong winds, hail, thunderstorms, earthquakes, etc. will have an impact on wind turbines, etc. Social and natural conditions, the terrain of the wind farm site should be relatively flat, and the geological conditions should be good for civil construction.

④Social transportation

It is necessary to consider whether the equipment supply and transportation of the main building materials of the proposed wind farm are convenient. Whether it is conducive to the construction and transportation of large cranes and flatbed trucks.

⑤Grid access

The wind farm should be as close to the grid access point as possible. For example: close to the existing 10kV and 66kV substations and lines to reduce power loss and the cost of transmission projects.

⑥Ecological environment

The construction of wind farms generally affects the normal life and migration of birds and birds. In order to protect the ecology, the site should try to avoid bird flight routes, migratory birds and animal habitats, and stay away from nature reserves, military facilities, densely populated areas, etc. Try to occupy as little arable land as possible to reduce ecological damage.

wind turbine farm
wind turbine farm

2. Wind farm project construction

①Site selection

It is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as terrain, climate, and wind energy resources. Generally speaking, areas with higher terrain and higher wind speed are more suitable for the construction of wind farms. In addition, the distance between the wind farm and sensitive areas such as residential areas and nature reserves needs to be considered to reduce the impact on the environment.

②Selection

The wind turbine, pivotal in wind power generation systems, directly impacts power generation efficiency. Choosing the right turbine involves considering market trends and R&D advancements, focusing on models from leading manufacturers tailored to local resources. Optimal selection prioritizes cost efficiency per kilowatt-hour, adhering to turbine design principles.

A variety of prominent manufacturers, such as Goldwind Technology, Envision Energy, and Mingyang Smart Energy, offer diverse options. They include Sany Heavy Energy, CRRC Zhuzhou, and Shanghai Electric, among others, ensuring a wide range of choices for wind energy projects.There are hundreds of wind turbine models to choose from.

③Deployment

The layout of wind turbines needs to take into account factors such as wind flow characteristics in the wind farm and interference between units. Reasonable layout can improve the power generation efficiency of the entire wind farm and reduce operating costs.

④Tower

The wind turbine tower is an important component of the wind turbine generator set. It supports the wind turbine set and bears the wind load, so that the entire nacelle and blades reach the optimal windward height, and can also resist the swing and vibration of the unit to meet the requirements of overall safe operation. When the wind turbine hub height is ≥140m, a concrete-steel mixed tower should be used; when the wind turbine hub height is <140m, a steel tower should be used. The tower should be equipped with an online verticality detection system.

⑤Line

The electricity generated by the wind farm needs to be transmitted to the power grid through the transmission line. The design of the transmission line needs to consider factors such as the length of the line, the voltage level, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor to ensure the safe and stable transmission of electricity.

3. Wind farm power generation forms

① Independent operation

This form of power generation generates less electricity and is used in small wind farms;

②Combined power generation

That is, wind power generation is combined with other forms of power generation;

③Grid-connected power generation

This power generation method has a relatively large single-unit capacity and has a good development prospect.

4. Onshore wind farm

Onshore wind farms in China use land wind power for power generation, and the technology is more mature. They are divided into plain and mountainous wind farms. Mountainous wind farms are mainly located in the southwest and are developing rapidly. Onshore wind farms mostly use series capacitor compensation to transmit electricity.

5. Offshore wind farms

Offshore wind farms are built in the offshore area with a water depth of about 10 meters. The advantages are that they do not occupy land, have high wind speeds, rich resources, large single-unit capacity (3 to 5 megawatts), and high annual utilization hours. However, the construction is difficult and the cost is 2 to 3 times that of onshore wind farms.

Wind turbine farm, clustering wind turbines, demand optimal wind conditions, stable direction, minimal risks, proximity to grids, and low ecological impact. Establishing them necessitates meticulous considerations—from site selection to turbine choice, deployment, tower design, and transmission lines.

Onshore wind farms boast mature technology, while offshore counterparts offer rich resources alongside higher construction expenses. Power generation methods encompass standalone, combined, and grid-connected approaches, with grid-connected systems holding promising potential.

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