WIND TURBINE OPERATING POWER CURVE BASIC INFORMATION AND TUTORIALS

What is the operating power curve of wind turbine?

The power curve of a turbine is built by connecting the maximum points of individual characteristic curves at various blade pitch angles, taking into account the maximum capacity of the turbine generator.

A curve specific to a wind turbine that determines the output power versus the wind speed. This curve is used by the wind turbine controller during operation to adjust the blade pitch.

Illustrates a typical characteristic curve of wind turbines based on which a turbine is to adjust its parameters and set points for the operation at various wind speed conditions. It is interesting to understand how this curve has been generated.

The performance (power coefficient and power capture) of a turbine changes with the tip speed ratio and that for a specific rpm of a turbine the tip speed ratio depends on the wind speed. On the other hand, we would like a turbine to always work, as much as possible, with maximum power coefficient, that is, around the peak of its characteristic curve at each wind speed.

If the maximum points of the characteristic curves for each wind speed are connected together, the resulting curve shows the desired points of operation of a turbine at various speeds. This curve, when blended with a cap for the maximum capacity of the turbine generator, defines a curve based on which a turbine is scheduled and controlled. That is the curve introduced in figure 10.3; it is referred to as a wind turbine power curve.