In large-scale power plants and generating units, the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system serves as the core of automated control, enhancing operational efficiency and safety. The system's typical architecture comprises a local monitoring component installed within each wind turbine tower and a central monitoring component located in the wind farm's control room.
Key parameters monitored by the system include grid parameters (three-phase voltage, current, frequency, and power factor), meteorological parameters (wind speed, wind direction, and temperature), and unit status parameters (rotational speed, temperature, vibration, etc.), while also enabling remote monitoring and control. Dedicated monitoring configuration software can be used to establish a real-time data monitoring and control platform.
The control system incorporates functions such as automatic start-stop, yaw control (aligning the turbine with the wind), and power regulation (variable-speed, constant-speed, and constant-power operation). System reliability is critical; for instance, during extreme weather events like typhoons, a loss of power to the control system caused by grid failure is a major factor leading to turbine tower collapse.
Other power generation equipment also utilizes control systems; for example, diesel generator sets can be equipped with automated control systems, while generator control panels incorporate automatic voltage regulators and protection devices.
