Modifying control strategy for control of a wind turbine using load probability and design load limit

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program configured to perform an operation when executed on a processor of an electronic device, the operation comprises:

• controlling the operation of a wind turbine in accordance with a safety margin for a first period of time;
• obtaining a first plurality of extreme load measures indicative of extreme loads experienced by at least part of the wind turbine during the first period of time;
• determining, by statistical analysis, a load probability characteristic based on a distribution of at least the first plurality of extreme load measures;
• comparing the load probability characteristic and a design load limit;
• reducing the safety margin based at least in part on the comparison of the load probability characteristic and the design load limit;
• controlling the operation of the wind turbine in accordance with the reduced safety margin for a second period of time such that the wind turbine allows higher extreme loads than during the first period of time;
• obtaining a second plurality of extreme load measures indicative of extreme loads experienced by at least part of the wind turbine during the second period of time;
• determining, by statistical analysis, an updated load probability characteristic based on a distribution of at least the first plurality of extreme load measures and the second plurality of extreme load measures;
• comparing the updated load probability characteristic against the design load limit;
• further reducing the safety margin based at least in part on the comparison of the updated load probability characteristic against the design load limit;
• and
• controlling the operation of the wind turbine using the further reduced safety margin for a third period of time.

A control system for a wind turbine, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• control an operation of the wind turbine using a safety margin for a first period of time;
• obtain a first plurality of extreme load measures indicative of extreme loads experienced by at least part of the wind turbine during the first period of time;
• determine, by statistical analysis, a load probability characteristic based on a distribution of the first plurality of extreme load measures;
• compare the load probability characteristic against a design load limit;
• reduce the safety margin based at least in part on the comparison of the load probability characteristic against the design load limit;
• control the operation of the wind turbine using the reduced safety margin for a second period of time such that the wind turbine allows higher extreme loads than during the first period of time;
• obtain a second plurality of extreme load measures indicative of extreme loads experienced by at least part of the wind turbine during the second period of time;
• determine, by statistical analysis, an updated load probability characteristic based on a distribution of at least the first plurality of extreme load measures and the second plurality of extreme load measures;
• compare the updated load probability characteristic against the design load limit;
• further reduce the safety margin based at least in part on the comparison of the updated load probability characteristic against the design load limit;
• and
• control the operation of the wind turbine using the further reduced safety margin for a third period of time.