# US 12,000,380 B2 · Wind turbine control

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- Number: US 12,000,380 B2
- Document ID: US12000380B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/311,523
- Filed: 2023-05-03
- Published: 2023-11-09
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2022-05-04
- Assignees: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
- Applicants: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
- Inventors: Luca Vita; Pedro Arroyo Beltri; Carmen Ruiz Garrido
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000380B2

## CPC

- F03D 7/0224: {Adjusting blade pitch}
- F03D 7/0204: {for orientation in relation to wind direction}
- F05B 2270/1033: Power (if explicitly mentioned)
- F05B 2270/17: to avoid excessive deflection of the blades
- F05B 2270/32: Wind speeds
- F05B 2270/321: Wind directions
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A method for controlling a wind turbine, and an associated wind turbine, includes receiving a wind direction signal indicative of an instantaneous wind direction at the wind turbine and receiving a signal indicative of an instantaneous wind speed at the wind turbine. A rate of change of the wind direction at the wind turbine and a rate of change of wind speed at the wind turbine are determined. A control signal for a pitch system for blades of the wind turbine is determined based on the rate of change of the wind direction and the rate of change of wind speed. The pitch of the blades is then changed with the pitch system based on the control signal to reduce loads on the wind turbine from changes in the wind direction simultaneous with changes in the wind speed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a wind turbine comprising:
receiving a wind direction signal indicative of an instantaneous wind direction at the wind turbine;
receiving one or more signals indicative of an instantaneous wind speed at the wind turbine;
determining a rate of change of the wind direction at the wind turbine and a rate of change of wind speed at the wind turbine;
determining one or more control signals for a pitch system for blades of the wind turbine at least partially based on the rate of change of the wind direction and the rate of change of wind speed; and
changing the pitch of the blades with the pitch system based on the control signals to reduce loads on the wind turbine from changes in the wind direction simultaneous with changes in the wind speed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the control signals for the pitch system include a specific pitch rate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the control signals include a setpoint for the pitch system based on a comparison between an indicated maximum load for the blades of the wind turbine and a measured load on one or more of the blades.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the signals indicative of the instantaneous wind speed are rotor speed measurements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the signals indicative of the instantaneous wind speed are derived from a power output of the wind turbine and a pitch angle of the blades.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the signals indicative of an instantaneous wind speed are derived from a nacelle mounted wind measurement system.

### Claim 7

A method for controlling a wind turbine comprising:
receiving a wind direction signal indicative of an instantaneous wind direction at the wind turbine;
receiving one or more signals indicative of an instantaneous wind speed at the wind turbine;
determining a rate of change of the wind direction at the wind turbine and a rate of change of wind speed at the wind turbine;
determining one or more control signals for a pitch system for blades of the wind turbine at least partially based on the rate of change of the wind direction and the rate of change of wind speed;
changing the pitch of the blades with the pitch system based on the control signals to reduce loads on the wind turbine from changes in the wind direction simultaneous with changes in the wind speed;
wherein the control signals include a setpoint for the pitch system based on a comparison between an indicated maximum load for the blades of the wind turbine and a measured load on one or more of the blades; and
wherein the setpoint for the pitch system is determined based on a comparison between a bending moment on one or more of the blades and a maximum bending threshold.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the maximum bending threshold is adjusted when the rate of change of wind speed is above an acceleration threshold.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the acceleration threshold is a function of the rate of change of the wind direction.

### Claim 10

A control system for a wind turbine, the control system configured to:
receive a wind direction signal indicative of an instantaneous wind direction at a wind turbine;
receive one or more signals indicative of an instantaneous wind speed at the wind turbine;
determine a rate of change of the wind direction at the wind turbine and a rate of change of wind speed at the wind turbine;
determine one or more control signals for a pitch system for blades of the wind turbine based on the rate of change of the wind direction and the rate of change of the wind speed; and
change the pitch of the blades with the pitch system based on the control signals to reduce loads on the wind turbine from changes in the wind direction simultaneous with changes in the wind speed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The control system of claim 10, wherein the control signals include a setpoint for the pitch system based on a comparison between an indicated maximum load for the blades of the wind turbine and a measured load on one or more of the blades.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower;
a nacelle rotatably mounted on the tower; and
the control system of claim 10.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The wind turbine of claim 1, further comprising a wind vane that provides the signal indicative of the instantaneous wind direction at the wind turbine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The wind turbine of claim 12, further comprising a nacelle mounted anemometer that provides the signal indicative of the instantaneous wind speed at the wind turbine.

### Claim 15

A control system for a wind turbine, the control system configured to:
receive a wind direction signal indicative of an instantaneous wind direction at a wind turbine;
receive one or more signals indicative of an instantaneous wind speed at the wind turbine;
determine a rate of change of the wind direction at the wind turbine and a rate of change of wind speed at the wind turbine;
determine one or more control signals for a pitch system for blades of the wind turbine based on the rate of change of the wind direction and the rate of change of the wind speed; and
change the pitch of the blades with the pitch system based on the control signals to reduce loads on the wind turbine from changes in the wind direction simultaneous with changes in the wind speed;
wherein the control signals include a setpoint for the pitch system based on a comparison between an indicated maximum load for the blades of the wind turbine and a measured load on one or more of the blades; and
wherein the setpoint for the pitch system is determined based on a comparison between a bending moment on one or more of the blades and a maximum bending moment threshold, wherein the maximum bending moment threshold is determined as a function of the rate of change of the wind direction and the rate of change of the wind speed.

### Claim 16

A method for operating a wind turbine, comprising:
measuring a wind direction at a wind turbine and determining a rate of change of the wind direction at the wind turbine;
determining a rate of change of a wind speed or rotor speed at the wind turbine;
reducing loads on the wind turbine when the rate of change of the wind speed or rotor speed is above an acceleration threshold;
wherein the acceleration threshold is based at least partially on the rate of change of the wind direction such that the loads on the wind turbine from changes in the wind direction acting simultaneously with changes in the wind speed are reduced.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, comprising pitching one or more blades of the wind turbine in order to keep a bending moment on the blades below a maximum bending moment threshold.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the blades are pitched at a pitch rate that is higher than a normal pitch rate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein measuring the wind direction at the wind turbine comprises measuring the wind direction using a nacelle mounted wind vane.

### Claim 20

A method for operating a wind turbine, comprising:
measuring a wind direction at a wind turbine and determining a rate of change of the wind direction at the wind turbine;
determining a rate of change of a wind speed or rotor speed at the wind turbine;
reducing loads on the wind turbine when the rate of change of the wind speed or rotor speed is above an acceleration threshold;
wherein the acceleration threshold is based at least partially on the rate of change of the wind direction;
pitching one or more blades of the wind turbine in order to keep a bending moment on the blades below a maximum bending moment threshold; and
wherein the maximum bending moment threshold is lowered when the rate of change of wind speed or rotor speed is above the acceleration threshold.