Technical field

The invention relates to a method and control system for configuring a wind turbine system, in particular a multi-rotor wind turbine system.

Background to the invention

Wind turbine generator (WTG) manufacturers typically offer a range of WTG types, each type being configurable in various ways. For example, control programs used to operate WTGs may differ from one WTG to the next. Even where the control programs are the same they generally need to be configured appropriately for each specific WTG installation, for example to account for factors influenced by the position in which the WTG is installed, such as local wind conditions and electrical connections to other elements of a wind power plant.

It is not usually possible to configure WTG components at the point of manufacture, as the process of installing and commissioning a wind power plant is highly complex and subject to complications that must be allowed for. This necessitates flexibility in terms of where each individual WTG is installed.

These considerations also apply to replacement parts that may be fitted after commissioning, as such parts are not necessarily configured for use in a specific WTG and so must be configured in situ.

Configuration problems escalate in a multi-rotor wind turbine system, in which a single support structure provides multiple mounting points supporting respective WTGs, the WTGs often being referred to as ‘rotor-nacelle assemblies’ (RNAs) in this context. Multi-rotor wind turbine arrangements achieve economies of scale that are comparable with a very large single rotor turbine, but avoid the associated drawbacks such as high blade mass and scaled-up power electronic components. However, the presence of multiple RNAs on a single support structure creates added complexity for configuring the RNAs.

It is cost-effective for all of the RNAs that are to be attached to a given support structure to be physically identical, or otherwise manufactured generically to the extent that each RNA can be installed in any position on the support structure. While this may reduce some of the burden associated with configuring the RNAs, each one must nonetheless be configured correctly for the position in which it is ultimately installed, to ensure that it operates as intended.

Specifically, each RNA should be configured to account for parameters specific to its mounting position, including: its installed height relative to a base of the support structure; a horizontal offset of the RNA relative to a central axis of the support structure; the electrical configuration of a mounting point to which the RNA is attached; the network configuration of the mounting point; functional safety configuration; data configuration (for identification of signals); an identifier (ID) to be assigned to the RNA; enabling/disabling of certain operations or functions for the RNA, including support for autonomous functions; and alignment with a central control system associated with the support structure, so that commands issued by the central control system are executed correctly locally in the RNA.

Also, the generic RNAs are not typically designed for use with a specific support structure, and so must be configured for use with the particular support structure on which they are ultimately mounted in the same way as conventional WTGs.

Failing to configure an RNA correctly will lead to sub-optimal operation in the best case scenario, and in the worst case could present a safety hazard.

It is against this background that the invention has been devised.

Summary of the invention

An aspect of the invention provides a method of configuring a nacelle assembly for operation in a multi-rotor wind turbine system, the nacelle assembly being mounted on a mounting point of a support structure of the wind turbine system. The method comprises transferring configuration data from a data storage unit to an electrical device associated with the nacelle assembly, the configuration data containing information for configuring operation of the nacelle assembly.

Using configuration data that has been generated in advance reduces the potential for human error in the configuration process, and so accelerates the configuration process by avoiding both the need to input data manually and the need to resolve configuration errors. This is of particular benefit in the context of a multi-rotor system, where the potential for configuration errors is significantly greater than for a conventional single wind turbine generator. The nacelle assembly may comprise the electrical device. Alternatively, the support structure may comprise the electrical device. For example, the electrical device may be located in or on a support member of the support structure. The electrical device may comprise a network switch and/or a controller. The electrical device optionally forms a node of a local control network associated with the nacelle assembly.

The electrical device may comprise a memory containing multiple data sets, each data set defining a respective set of control values for the nacelle assembly, in which case the configuration data comprises an identifier that indicates which of the data sets to use for configuring the nacelle assembly. Storing control values locally in the nacelle assembly beneficially minimises the burden on the data storage unit in terms of the nature and quantity of data that it must hold. It also means that there is no need to update the configuration data in the event that a change is made to the nacelle assembly, as the update can be reflected in the control values held locally in the nacelle assembly.

Alternatively, or in addition, the configuration data may comprise control values for the nacelle assembly.

The configuration data may comprise information related to the nacelle assembly and/or information related to the mounting point on which the nacelle assembly is mounted, such as: a height of the mounting point; a horizontal position of the mounting point relative to the support structure; an electrical configuration; a network configuration; a safety configuration; a data configuration; an identifier to be assigned to the nacelle assembly mounted to the mounting point; selective enabling of one or more functions for the nacelle assembly mounted to the mounting point; and parameters for alignment with a central control network associated with the support structure.

The data storage unit may be a removable memory device such as a USB flash drive, EEPROM or an RFID device. In this case, the method may comprise connecting the removable memory device to the electrical device.

The wind turbine system may comprise the data storage unit. For example, if the wind turbine system comprises a central control network, the central control network may comprise the data storage unit. The method may comprise transferring configuration data to the electrical device from a data storage unit associated with the wind turbine system, and transferring further configuration data to the electrical device from a removable memory device.

The nacelle assembly may be attached directly to the support structure, or it may be a ‘rotor- nacelle assembly’ in that it is attached to a support member extending from the support structure.

The invention also extends to a control system configured to perform the method of the above aspect.

Another aspect of the invention provides a control system for configuring a nacelle assembly for operation in a multi-rotor wind turbine system, the nacelle assembly being mounted on a mounting point of a support structure of the wind turbine system. The control system comprises: an electrical device associated with the nacelle assembly; a data storage unit arranged to store configuration data and to transfer the configuration data to the electrical device, the configuration data containing information for configuring operation of the nacelle assembly.

A further aspect of the invention provides a wind power plant comprising the control system of the above aspects.

It will be appreciated that preferred and/or optional features of each aspect of the invention may be incorporated alone or in appropriate combination in the other aspects of the invention also.

Brief description of the drawings

So that it may be more fully understood, the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-rotor wind turbine arrangement that is suitable for use with embodiments of the invention;

Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows the arrangement from above; Figure 3 shows schematically the architecture of system-level components of the arrangement of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a control network according to an embodiment of the invention that is configured to control the arrangement of Figure 1.

Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

In general terms, the invention relates to methods and control systems for configuring an RNA, or a component of an RNA, in particular for operation as part of a multi-rotor wind turbine system.

To reduce the likelihood of an RNA being configured incorrectly, embodiments of the invention automate parts of the configuration procedure to minimise the potential for human error, which can arise during manual input of configuration data in conventional configuration procedures. To achieve this, configuration data is generated in advance that contains information that can be used by an RNA to configure itself for operation in the position in which it has been mounted on the support structure of a multi-rotor wind turbine system.

The configuration data contains information corresponding to data that may ordinarily be input manually by a human operator as part of a configuration process. Accordingly, the configuration data typically includes location-specific information relating to a particular mounting point of a support structure of a multi-rotor wind turbine system to which an RNA may be mounted, which enables an RNA mounted on that mounting point to configure itself appropriately for its position, once mounted.

As a support structure may be designed for use with a range of different types of RNAs, and conversely the RNA may be compatible with a range of different support structures, the configuration data may also include information specific to the RNA according to its type, enabling it to be configured appropriately for use on a particular support structure.

Configuration data relating to a particular mounting point of a support structure is loaded onto a data storage unit, from where it is transferred to an RNA that has been installed on the relevant mounting point. The configuration data is then used internally within the RNA to configure its various controllers for operation, in a very similar manner to the way in which RNAs handle data that is input manually in known configuration processes. Alternatively, the configuration data may be split between a data storage unit external to the RNA and a memory within the RNA. In particular, the RNA may hold all of the possible control values that might be needed for any potential operating scenario, in which case configuring the RNA entails transferring data from the data storage unit to the RNA to enable the RNA to select the appropriate control values from those that it holds. For example, the control values may be stored in sets, with a respective set for each operating scenario, and the data storage unit may transfer an identifier that enables the RNA to select the appropriate set of control values for the position in which the RNA has been mounted.

For convenience, the data storage unit may be a removable storage device, for example, although it may be connected to the RNA or mounting point permanently in practice. In this case, transferring the configuration data may entail connecting the removable storage device to an electrical device associated with the RNA, such as a controller or a network switch of the RNA. The removable storage device may alternatively be connected to the support structure, and the configuration data may be transferred from there to the RNA via network connections, or wirelessly using transmitters that may be available on the support structure, for example short-range radio frequency systems.

Alternatively, the data storage unit may be a device located in or near the support structure, for example a device that is part of a central control network associated with the support structure. In this case, the configuration data may be transferred to an electrical device associated with the RNA by way of a network transmission, for example.

As well as minimising the risk of incorrectly configuring an RNA, this approach also allows a reduction in safety risks, as it allows such risks to be calculated correctly offline and established as part of the configuration of the RNA. Automated configuration also reduces commissioning time and the associated costs, both by accelerating the configuration process and by reducing the time spent debugging and correcting configuration errors.

A further advantage of the proposed configuration approach is that it supports the use of generic RNAs, which in turn is highly cost-effective.

To provide context for the invention, an illustrative multi-rotor wind turbine system that is suitable for use with embodiments of the invention is now described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. It should be appreciated that the system of Figures 1 to 3 is referred to here by way of example only, and it would be possible to implement embodiments of the invention into many different types of wind turbine systems. Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a wind turbine system 2 includes a support structure 4 on which is mounted a plurality of rotor-nacelle assemblies (RNAs) 6. In this embodiment, the support structure 4 is a slender tower that is mounted on a foundation embedded in the ground, as is typical with modern wind turbine systems, although it should be appreciated that other support structures are possible, for example frame-like structures.

Note that the term ‘RNA’ is used here in the industry-accepted sense to refer mainly to the generating components of the wind turbine system and as being separate to the support structure 4.

In this embodiment, there are four RNAs 6, and these are mounted to the support structure 4 in two pairs, each pair including two RNAs 6 that are mounted to the support structure 4 by a respective support arm arrangement 10.

It is noted that in other embodiments the wind turbine system may also include one or more nacelle assemblies mounted directly onto the main support structure 4, for example at the top of the tower. For the purposes of this application the term ‘nacelle assembly’ should be considered to include such nacelle assemblies as well as RNAs that are supported by an arm arrangement. The control and configuration arrangements described below for the RNAs of the wind turbine system apply equally to nacelle assemblies that are mounted directly to a support structure, which would be configured and controlled in the same way.

Each support arm arrangement 10 comprises a mount portion 12 and first and second arms 14 that extend from the mount portion 12 and carry a respective RNA 6, each RNA 6 being mounted onto one of the first and second arms 14 at a respective mounting point 15. As such, each of the support arms 14 includes a proximal end connected to the mount portion 12 and a distal end including the mounting point 15 that is connected to an RNA 6.

Each mounting point 15 provides mechanical support to the RNA 6 that is mounted to it, as well as electrical connections to the RNA 6. This includes electrical connections for transferring power produced by the RNA 6 to the support structure 4, and data and communications network connections enabling communication between the RNA 6 and the support structure 4. It will be appreciated that the RNA 6 must be configured appropriately for these electrical connections, for example to ensure that communications are sent in the correct format and to ensure that the electrical power transferred to the support structure is in the expected form. The support arm arrangement 10 is mounted to the support structure 4 at the mount portion 12 so that the support arm arrangement 10 is able to yaw about the vertical axis of the support structure 4. Suitable yaw gearing (not shown) is provided for this purpose. This movement provides a first degree of freedom for the RNA 6 with respect to the support structure, as shown on Figure 2 as ‘FT.

Each RNA 6 includes a rotor 16 that is rotatably mounted to a nacelle 18 in the usual way. The rotor 16 has a set of three blades 20 in this embodiment. Three-bladed rotors are a common rotor configuration, but different numbers of blades are also known; two-bladed configurations are also quite common, for example. Thus, the RNAs 6 are able to generate power from the flow of wind that passes through the swept area or ‘rotor disc’ associated with the rotation of the blades.

As noted above, once the RNAs 6 have been mounted onto the support structure 4 as shown in Figure 1 , they are configured for operation using pre-generated configuration data. In this embodiment, the configuration data is formatted into data packages, each package being associated with a respective mounting point 15 of the support structure 4, and containing all of the information required to configure an RNA 6 that is mounted on the associated mounting point 15 for operation. As there are four mounting points 15 in the support structure 4 of Figure 1 , it follows that four separate packages of configuration data are generated, each package being arranged to configure a respective one of the four RNAs 6 of the wind turbine system 2.

The four RNAs 6 of this embodiment are all identical and operate in a similar manner to one another. For example, the respective rotors 16 of the RNAs 6 are all of the same size and geometry, and are configured to turn in the same sense as one another. The RNAs 6 may therefore be considered generic, in that each RNA 6 may be installed onto any of the mounting points 15 of the support structure 4, which as already noted eases the configuration process as the elements of the configuration that relate to the type and characteristics of the RNA 6 will be the same for each RNA 6. Accordingly, elements of the configuration data relating to the RNA characteristics can be identical for each of the four packages of configuration data used for the wind turbine system 2.

In other embodiments, the RNAs 6 may not all be the same, and may instead have differing physical characteristics to take advantage of varying wind conditions at each mounting point 15 of the support structure 4. In this case, the elements of the configuration data relating to the characteristics of the RNAs 6 are different for each data package, to reflect the expected differences in the RNAs 6 to be mounted on the mounting points 15 with which the data packages are associated.

Figure 1 also shows components of a central network 22 residing within the support structure 4, those components including a node defining a central network switch 24 and two further nodes designated as central nodes 26. The central nodes 26 are illustrative of ECUs and other network devices associated with the central network 22. The central network 22 forms a second level of a unified control network for the wind turbine system 2, while each RNA 6 includes a respective local control network so that the local control networks collectively form a first level of the control network.

Figure 1 also indicates, in dashed lines, communication pathways between the central network switch 24 and the central nodes 26, indicating that communication within the central network 22 between the central nodes 26 occurs via the central network switch 24 in a conventional manner. Further communication pathways extend between the central network switch 24 and each RNA 6, thus connecting each RNA 6 to the central network 22 to form the unified control network.

The relationship between the physical components of the control network and the system components of the wind turbine system 2 is illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 3 shows all four RNAs 6 of the wind turbine system 2, with selected internal features of the nacelle 18 of one of the RNAs 6 being made visible. Each of the RNAs 6 shown in Figure 3 can be considered to be substantially identical in this embodiment.

On a system level, each RNA 6 includes a gearbox 30 that is driven by the rotor 16, and a power generation system including a generator 32 and a converter system 34. The generator 32 is connected to the gearbox 30 to generate power from torque in the gearbox 30. The generated power is transferred to the converter system 34, which converts the power into a suitable frequency and voltage for onward transmission.

The precise configuration of the generator 32 and converter system 34 are not central to the invention and will not be described in detail. Flowever, for present purposes they can be considered to be conventional and, in one embodiment, may be based on a full scale converter (FSC) architecture or a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) architecture. In the illustrated embodiment, the power output of the converter 34 of each RNA 6 is fed to a distribution unit 40, which has a function to receive power inputs 42 from the RNAs 6 over suitable cabling 44 for onward transmission to a load 46 such as an electrical grid.

The skilled person will appreciate that there are various alternative power transmission systems that could be implemented to take power from several generators to a single grid, and so this embodiment is described for illustrative purposes only.

It should be noted at this point that only a single wind turbine system 2 is described here, but that several such systems may be grouped together to form a wind power plant, also referred to as a wind farm or ‘park’. In this case, a power plant control and distribution facility (not shown) would be provided to coordinate and distribute the power outputs from the individual wind turbine systems to the wider grid.

Since the wind turbine system 2 includes a plurality of RNAs 6, each of which is operable to generate electrical power as its respective rotor 16 is driven by wind, as noted above the system 2 includes localised control means in the form of a respective local network 48 associated with each RNA 6.

Each local network 48 is housed within the nacelle 18 of its associated RNA 6, and includes a plurality of nodes in the form of local control modules 50 embodied as ECUs or other computing devices, each of which performs a specific function. Figure 3 shows two local control modules 50 in the local network 48 for illustrative purposes, although in practice each local network 48 would have several more nodes. The local network 48 includes a further node defining a local network switch 52 that provides for communication between the other nodes of the local network 48.

It is noted, however, that it is also possible for one or more nodes of a local network 48, including the local network switch 52, to be located outside the nacelle 18 of the associated RNA 6. For example, a node may be positioned in or on the support arm 14 to which the RNA 6 is attached, adjacent to the relevant mounting point 15. In this case, suitable network connections may be provided through the relevant mounting point 15 to connect any nodes external to the RNA 6 to those within the RNA 6 and thereby complete the local network 48 when the RNA 6 is installed. As the dashed lines in Figure 3 indicate, the local network switch 52 can also communicate with the central network switch 24, thereby establishing communication between the central network 22 and the local network 48.

Notably, one of the central nodes 26 resides within the distribution unit 40 and is in communication with the central network switch 24. Accordingly, the central network 22 encompasses the distribution unit 40, allowing for monitoring and control of the operation of the distribution unit 40. Other central nodes 26 may be directly associated with other systems within the support structure 4 in a similar manner.

The interconnections within each network 22, 48, and between the local networks 48 and the central network 22, may be implemented using suitable cabling to establish direct or ‘point- to-point’ connections, or may be part of a localised area network (LAN) operated under a suitable protocol (CAN-bus or Ethernet for example). Also, it should be appreciated that rather than using cabling, data may be transmitted wirelessly over a suitable wireless network, for example operating under WiFi™ or ZigBee™ standards (IEEE802.11 and 802.15.4 respectively).

Each local network 48 monitors the operation of its associated RNA 6 and controls the operation of the components of the RNA 6 to achieve local control objectives. For example, one local control module 50 of a local network 48 may monitor rotor speed and control a relevant pitch control system in line with a local pitch control strategy, as derived from a local power-speed curve that is specific for the particular RNA 6 to ensure that maximum power is extracted from wind during below-rated power operating conditions. Meanwhile, another local control module 50 of the same local network 48 acts to control the generator 32 in line with a local torque control strategy to limit power production in above-rated power operating conditions, as also derived from said local power-speed curve.

In summary, each local network 48 operates at the first level of the control network to control the functionality of its respective RNA 6 individually in a way that ignores interaction between the RNA 6 and the rest of the multi-rotor wind turbine system 2. So, each local network 48 is specifically directed to optimising the performance of a respective RNA 6 in line with an associated set of local control objectives, and does not take into account how the operation of the other RNAs 6 or the support structure 2 may influence how the individual RNA 6 should be operated in the context of the wider group. In parallel, the central network 22 operates at the second level of the control network to provide a coordinated control strategy. To achieve this, the central network 22 is configured to exchange data with the local networks 48 to monitor the operation of the wind turbine system 2, and to provide centralised control commands to the local networks 48 to achieve a set of supervisory control objectives to operate the wind turbine system 2 in a unified manner.

Each control command is generated by a node 26 of the central network 22 and then transmitted to a node of the relevant local network 48 via the central network switch 24 and the relevant local network switch 52. The control commands may be of the ‘broadcast’ type of command in which the same command is sent out to each RNA 6, or the commands may be of the ‘directed’ type of command in which a specific control command is sent to a selected one or more, but not all, of the RNAs 6.

The objective of the central network 22 is to implement a harmonious control strategy for the group of RNAs 6 so that their interactions between each other, and the interactions between the RNAs 6 and the support structure 4 are managed safely and effectively. The first level and the second level of the control network operate together harmoniously to ensure safety as a first priority. When safety criteria are met, the control network optimises the performance of the wind power system 2 in terms of absolute power production, production efficiency, and fatigue optimisation.

Referring now to Figure 4, an overall control network 54 for the wind turbine system 2 is shown schematically, the control network 54 corresponding to that referred to above in connection with the wind turbine system 2 of Figures 1 to 3. Accordingly, the control network 54 incorporates the central network 22 and the local networks 48, which therefore define sub-networks of the control network 54.

As Figure 4 shows, the central network 22 includes two nodes 26, each of the nodes represented being a central control module that is responsible for local functions within the central network 22 and also global functions that affect the entire control network 54. Similarly, each local network 48 is illustrated as having three nodes 50 corresponding to local control modules 50, as described above.

It will be appreciated that each network 22, 48 will have many more nodes than shown in Figure 4 in practice, including safety controllers that perform critical safety-related functions, and more generic nodes that perform other, non-critical functions. Data exchange within the control network 54 occurs by packet switching as is conventional. Accordingly, data to be transmitted from an originating node to a destination node is formatted into a network packet that is transmitted between the respective network switches 24, 52 of the sub-networks 22, 48 according to network transmission schedules.

As noted above, the configuration data that is to be used to configure the RNAs 6 for optimised operation in their respective mounting positions is formatted as a respective package of data for each mounting point 15. These data packages are loaded onto and stored in a data storage unit. When a need arises to configure an RNA 6 subsequently, the relevant data package is retrieved from the data storage unit and transferred to the RNA 6.

In this respect, Figure 4 shows a first data storage unit 56 residing in one of the central control modules 26, and a second data storage unit 58 in the form of a removable memory device such as a USB flash drive, EEPROM, RFID, etc.. Accordingly, the first and second data storage units 56, 58 shown in Figure 4 represent two of the main options for storing configuration data prior to configuring an RNA 6. Both are shown in Figure 4 for illustrative purposes, although in practice only one of these types of data storage unit may be required to configure RNAs 6.

The first data storage unit 56 is embodied as a memory of the central control module 26 in which it resides, for example the main memory of the control module 26, a partition within the main memory of the control module 26, or a separate dedicated memory. As the first data storage unit 56 is accessible to the entire control network 54, it holds the configuration data for all of the mounting points 15 of the wind turbine system 2, namely the four packages of data containing the configuration data for each mounting point 15.

The central control module 26 that includes the first data storage unit 56 may be a dedicated RNA configuration module whose primary function is to transmit configuration data to RNAs6 as they are added during commission, or during maintenance and repair operations. Alternatively, configuring RNAs 6 may be one of multiple functions that this particular central control module 26 performs.

In use, when an RNA 6 is mounted onto one of the mounting points 15 of the support structure 4, configuration data is transferred from the first data storage unit 56 and/or the second data storage unit 58 to the local network 48 of that RNA 6, to configure the RNA 6 for operation in its installed position. An example of a transfer of configuration data from the first data storage unit 56 to an RNA 6 shall now be described, before moving on to consider the alternative scenario where configuration data is transferred to an RNA 6 from the second data storage unit 58.

This first example is based on a situation in which the configuration data that is transferred from the data storage unit includes all of the control values and parameters required by the RNA 6, as opposed to the alternative scenario in which the RNA 6 holds the control values and the configuration data transferred from the data storage unit is an identifier enabling the RNA 6 to select the appropriate values from those it holds.

When an RNA 6 is installed onto one of the mounting points 15 of the support structure 4, the central control module 26 that hosts the first data storage unit 56 detects the presence of the RNA 6 and the identity of the mounting point 15 on which the RNA 6 has been installed. The central control module 26 then cross-references the detected mounting point 15 against the data packages held in the first data storage unit 56, to identify the data package containing the configuration data associated with the relevant mounting point 15. The central control module 26 then retrieves the identified data package and formats the configuration data within that data package into data packets that are addressed to a destination node 50 on the local network 48 of the RNA 6 to be configured.

In this respect, one of the nodes 50 of the local network 48 of the RNA 6 to be configured is arranged to receive the configuration data and to use it to configure and program the RNA 6 for operation in its installed position. Accordingly, this node 50 is the destination node for the data packets created by the central control module 26 that holds the configuration data.

The data packets are then transmitted through the control network 54 via the central network switch 24 and the relevant local network switch 52. The package of configuration data is then received by the destination node 50 of the local network 48, which then proceeds to use the configuration data to configure and program the RNA 6 in the conventional manner.

This process may be triggered automatically, for example when the presence of the local network 48 of the relevant RNA 6 is detected by the central network 22. Alternatively, the process may be triggered manually by an operator when the RNA 6 is ready to be configured. In the latter case, the process is still automated as far as possible, and so the central network retains responsibility for confirming the presence of an RNA 6 on a particular mounting point and matching the appropriate configuration data with the RNA 6. Turning now to the case where configuration data is transferred from the second data storage unit 58, in this embodiment the second data storage unit 58 is arranged to be connected to an RNA 6 attached to a specific one of the mounting points 15 of the support structure 4, and so holds configuration data for that mounting point 15 only. Accordingly, four separate such data storage units 58 will be required to configure all of the RNAs 6 of the wind turbine system 2 of Figure 1 .

Accordingly, to configure an RNA 6 using the second data storage unit 58, the appropriate data storage unit 28 is selected according to the mounting point 15 to which the RNA 6 has been connected. The selected second data storage unit 58 is then connected to an electrical device of the RNA 6 in a manner enabling data transfer from the second data storage unit 58 to the RNA 6. It may be most convenient for the second data storage device 58 to be connected, in other words physically inserted into, the local network switch 52 of the local network 48 of the RNA 6 to be configured. However, in principle the second data storage unit 58 may be connected to any node of the local network 48.

Indeed, the second data storage unit 58 can be connected to any node of the overall control network 54, and the configuration data can be transferred from the node to which the data storage unit 58 is connected to the appropriate node 50 of the local network 48 of the RNA 6 to be configured by a network transmission.

Once the second data storage unit 58 has been connected to the local network switch 52 its contents, namely the configuration data relating to the mounting point with which the storage unit 58 is associated, are transferred to the local network switch 52. The RNA 6 then uses the configuration data to configure itself in the same way as for when configuration data is received over the control network 54 from the first data storage unit 56.

The transfer of configuration data from the second data storage unit 58 may occur automatically when the storage unit 58 is connected, or the data transfer may be triggered manually via a user interface.

The local network 48 may communicate with the central network 22 to confirm that the configuration data being received from the second data storage unit 58 is appropriate for configuring the RNA 6. Whether the configuration data is stored on a data storage unit associated with the central network 22, such as the first data storage unit 56, or a separate data storage unit such as the second data storage unit 58, the configuration data can take various forms.

For example, the configuration data may include all of the information required to configure an RNA 6 for operation. This may correspond to the information that would otherwise be input manually by a human operator, for example, which may be broadly termed control values for the RNA 6. Such control values may include, for example, any of: a height of the mounting point; a horizontal position of the mounting point relative to the support structure; an electrical configuration; a network configuration; a safety configuration; a data configuration; an identifier to be assigned to the RNA 6 mounted to the mounting point 15; selective enabling of one or more functions for the RNA 6 mounted to the mounting point 15; and parameters for alignment with the central network 22 to ensure that the local network 48 of the RNA 6 interacts with the central network 22 successfully.

Alternatively, the RNA 6 may hold sets of control values defining configuration data locally within its local network 48, each set of configuration data corresponding to a particular installation scenario. So, for the example wind turbine system 2 described above, the RNA 6 may hold four sets of configuration data, one corresponding to each of the mounting points 15 of the support structure 4. In this case, whichever of the first and second data storage units 56, 58 is used, the data storage unit 56, 58 need only supply an identifier to the RNA 6 that enables the RNA 6 to select the appropriate set of configuration data for the mounting point 15 that it has been installed onto from the various sets of configuration data that it holds. Accordingly, in such embodiments the identifier held by the data storage unit defines configuration data in the sense that the identifier provides all of the information required to enable the RNA 6 to configure itself.

The RNA 6 may also hold further sets of configuration data corresponding to different wind turbine systems. In this case, the identifier that the RNA 6 receives from a data storage unit also indicates the type of wind turbine system that the RNA 6 has been installed in.

The skilled person will appreciate that modifications may be made to the specific embodiments described above without departing from the inventive concept as defined by the claims.

For example, although in the embodiment described above configuration data is sent from the first data storage unit to an RNA as a network transmission via an Ethernet network, it is also possible for configuration data to be sent wirelessly. As noted above, data may be transmitted within the control network wirelessly over a suitable wireless network, for example operating under WiFi™ or ZigBee™ standards (IEEE802.11 and 802.15.4 respectively), or using a short-range radio frequency transmitter available in the wind turbine system. This extends to the transmission of configuration data to an RNA.