INVESTIGATION OF YAW ERROR (YAW) IN WIND GENERATORS THROUGH SCADA DATA ANALYSIS
Point Zero. Wind turbines. Yaw System. Yaw Error. Data analysis.
Yaw control in wind turbines (also known as yaw control) plays a crucial role in increasing energy production and protecting these devices. Accurate measurement of the yaw angle is essential for effective control of the wind turbine. However, measurement accuracy is affected by the correct measurement of wind-related information (measurement height, direction, speed), which are computed from a standard position used to carry out these measurements, the so-called zero point. The displacement of the zero point affects the measurement of the yaw angle, leading to possible losses in power generation. During the yaw (re)alignment cycles by the mechanical system, it is common for there to be a displacement of the zero point. Therefore, it is very important to carry out an assessment and identification of the zero point displacement error to improve energy production. In this work, the definition of zero point displacement failure in yaw angle sensors is introduced as a starting point for error diagnosis. A data-driven approach, using Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), is proposed to detect this failure. Identification is carried out by analyzing power performance at different yaw angles. SCADA data is analyzed only in a range of wind speeds, in order to minimize the influence of wind as much as possible, while the yaw angle is divided into compartments for a more in-depth assessment of energy performance. Average power is used to evaluate power performance at each yaw angle, considering the angle with the highest average as the measurement error. Tests with experimental data from wind turbines located in Rio Grande do Norte indicate that the proposed approach can assist in decision making by assisting in the diagnosis of the wind turbine.