Startup Speed with Dead Band in Wind Farms with Low-Medium Wind Speed Profile—Case Study of Hong Kong

Abstract

Wind turbines are usually designed and operated with fixed startup speed. It could perform startup and shutdown operations repeatedly when the wind fluctuates around the startup speed. The excessive stress induced by frequent startup and shutdown could enhance the likelihood of component failure and hence negatively impact the availability of a wind turbine. Startup speed with dead band is proposed in this article to prevent the wind turbine from frequent startup. 22 years wind data from the Cheung Chau wind station in Hong Kong are analyzed to evaluate the reduction in the number of startup and potential loss of wind power production using the proposed approach. Numerical simulation suggests that the number of startup could be reduced by half with trivial reduction in potential wind power generation in most of investigated sites once an appropriate dead band is adopted.