# US 12,000,381 B2 · Reducing peak out-of-vertical loads in a wind turbine

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- Number: US 12,000,381 B2
- Document ID: US12000381B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/779,426
- Filed: 2020-11-24
- Published: 2022-12-29
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-25
- Assignees: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
- Applicants: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
- Inventors: James Alexander Nichols; Jacob Deleuran Grunnet; Anders Steen Nielsen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000381B2

## CPC

- F03D 7/028: {controlling wind motor output power}
- F03D 7/0224: {Adjusting blade pitch}
- F05B 2260/84: Modelling or simulation
- F05B 2270/321: Wind directions
- F05B 2270/331: Mechanical loads
- 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 of controlling a wind turbine is provided, comprising identifying an out-of-vertical load acting in a first direction on the wind turbine. A direction of a wind load acting on the wind turbine is determined. If there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction, the wind turbine is controlled to reduce the wind load.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling a wind turbine comprising:
identifying an out-of-vertical load acting in a first direction on the wind turbine;
determining a direction of a wind load acting on the wind turbine;
determining whether there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction; and
when there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction, controlling the wind turbine to reduce the wind load, and
wherein the out-of-vertical load comprises a solar-induced out-of-vertical load caused by solar radiation heating of the wind turbine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the out-of-vertical load comprises calculating the solar-induced out-of-vertical load based on a turbine location and current time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the out-of-vertical load comprises calculating the solar-induced out-of-vertical load based on a measurement from a meteorological sensor associated with the wind turbine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the out-of-vertical load comprises an inherent imbalance acting on the wind turbine.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction comprises determining whether a component of the direction of the wind load lies in the first direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
determining if the wind load exceeds a wind load threshold; and
controlling the wind turbine to reduce wind load if:
there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction; and
the wind load exceeds the wind load threshold.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises:
determining a total load acting in the first direction, wherein the total load is a sum of the out-of-vertical load and a component of the wind load acting in the first direction;
determining if the total load exceeds a total load threshold; and
controlling the wind turbine to reduce the wind load if the total load exceeds the total load threshold.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the out-of-vertical load comprises:
monitoring a position of a first point at a base of the wind turbine, and a second point on a nacelle of the wind turbine; and
calculating the out-of-vertical load based on a difference between the position of the first point and the second point.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the out-of-vertical load comprises determining a vector sum of a plurality of out-of-vertical loads.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the wind turbine to reduce the wind load comprises adjusting a pitch of at least one blade of the wind turbine.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the wind turbine to reduce the wind load comprises adjusting a power output by the wind turbine.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the wind turbine to reduce the wind load comprises:
providing the wind load as an input in a model of expected wind turbine behaviour;
extracting control parameters from the model which reduce the wind load acting on the wind turbine; and
controlling the wind turbine in accordance with the control parameters.

### Claim 13

A wind turbine control system comprising:
a wind load block configured to determine a wind load acting on a wind turbine;
and a controller configured to receive the wind load from the wind load block;
wherein the controller is configured to control the wind turbine in accordance with an operation, comprising:
identifying an out-of-vertical load acting in a first direction on the wind turbine;
determining a direction of a wind load acting on the wind turbine;
determining whether there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction; and
when there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction, controlling the wind turbine to reduce the wind load, and
wherein the out-of-vertical load comprises a solar-induced out-of-vertical load caused by solar radiation heating of the wind turbine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The wind turbine control system of claim 13, wherein identifying the out-of-vertical load comprises calculating the solar-induced out-of-vertical load based on a turbine location and current time.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The wind turbine control system of claim 14, wherein identifying the out-of-vertical load comprises calculating the solar-induced out-of-vertical load based on a measurement from a meteorological sensor associated with the wind turbine.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The wind turbine control system of claim 13, wherein the out-of-vertical load comprises an inherent imbalance acting on the wind turbine.

### Claim 17

A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower;
a nacelle disposed on the tower, the nacelle housing a generator;
a rotor mechanically coupled to the generator;
a plurality of blades coupled to a distal end of the rotor; and
a wind turbine control system configured to perform an operation, comprising:
identifying an out-of-vertical load acting in a first direction on the wind turbine;
determining a direction of a wind load acting on the wind turbine;
determining whether there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction; and
when there is a degree of alignment between the direction of the wind load and the first direction, controlling the wind turbine to reduce the wind load, and
wherein the out-of-vertical load comprises a solar-induced out-of-vertical load caused by solar radiation heating of the wind turbine.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The wind turbine of claim 17, wherein the solar-induced out-of-vertical load is calculated by:
determining a temperature increase of radiated parts of the tower over an ambient temperature;
determining an expansion of the radiated parts of the tower based on thermal expansion properties of material of the tower; and
determining a resultant curvature of the tower based on the expansion of the radiated parts.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the solar-induced out-of-vertical load is calculated by:
determining a temperature increase of radiated parts of a tower of the wind turbine over an ambient temperature;
determining an expansion of the radiated parts of the tower based on thermal expansion properties of material of the tower; and
determining a resultant curvature of the tower based on the expansion of the radiated parts.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The wind turbine control system of claim 13, wherein the solar-induced out-of-vertical load is calculated by:
determining a temperature increase of radiated parts of a tower of the wind turbine over an ambient temperature;
determining an expansion of the radiated parts of the tower based on thermal expansion properties of material of the tower; and
determining a resultant curvature of the tower based on the expansion of the radiated parts.