# US 2014/0193254 A1 · Method for optimizing the operation of a wind turbine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193254 A1 - Document ID: US20140193254A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/737,406 - Filed: 2013-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Simi GOPOLAN; Anoop Singh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193254A1 ## CPC - F03D 7/022: {Adjusting aerodynamic properties of the blades} - F03D 7/043: {characterised by the type of control logic} - F05B 2270/20: to optimise the performance of a machine - F05B 2270/322: the detection or prediction of a wind gust - F05B 2270/325: Air temperature - F05B 2270/331: Mechanical loads - F05B 2270/332: Maximum loads or fatigue criteria - 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 optimizing the operation of a wind turbine having a rotor with at least one rotor blade, a tower, and a wind turbine controller, comprises determining a first load status of the wind turbine based on metereological data acquired by sensors, including a turbulence intensity; determining a second load status of the wind turbine based on mechanical loads on at least one wind turbine component; and increasing a load of the wind turbine, if the determined first and second load status of the turbine are within selectable load limits. A wind turbine implementing the method is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for optimizing the operation of a wind turbine having a rotor with at least one rotor blade, a tower, and a wind turbine controller, comprising: determining a first load status of the wind turbine based on metereological data acquired by sensors, including a turbulence intensity; determining a second load status of the wind turbine based on mechanical loads on at least one wind turbine component; increasing a load of the wind turbine, if the determined first and second load status of the turbine are within selectable load limits. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a first load status of the wind turbine based on meterological data comprises determining a turbulence intensity value from measured wind speed data, and determining an air density value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a first load status of the wind turbine based on metereological data comprises determining a value of an air density, and wherein a turbulence intensity is computed from sensor data about wind speed and wind speed standard deviation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second load status of the wind turbine comprises determining bending moments of at least one wind turbine component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein determining an air density value comprises measuring an ambient temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second load status of the wind turbine based on mechanical loads on at least one wind turbine component includes: determining outplane bending moments of at least one rotor blade, and comparing the determined outplane bending moments with stored data on outplane bending moments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein determining mechanical loads on the turbine from sensor data further includes performing a fast fourier transformation on outplane bending moments data, and to compare predefined parameters from the fast fourier transformation with stored data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein determining outplane bending moments includes: measuring a blade deformation by a proximity sensor measuring a distance between a blade and the tower. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein increasing a load of the turbine includes increasing a set point for the tip-speed ratio. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein outplane bending moments are calculated from D/Q moments. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a first load status of the wind turbine includes determining an air density and determining a turbulence intensity, and comparing the determined values with stored data in a lookup table. ### Claim 12 A method for optimizing the operation of a wind turbine including a rotor with at least one blade and a tower, comprising the steps of: acquiring parameter values for altitude and temperature, and determining an air density value from the acquired parameter values; acquiring data on current wind speed, and calculating a standard deviation of the wind speed over time; calculating a turbulence intensity from the acquired wind speed data; determining a first load status of the wind turbine based on the determined air density and the determined turbulence intensity; acquiring parameter values on deformation of the rotor blades, calculating bending moments based on the deformation data; determining a second load status of the wind turbine, based on a comparison of the calculated bending moments with pre-stored bending moments; increasing a load of the wind turbine, if the determined first and second load status of the turbine are within predefined limits. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein determining a second load status further comprises performing an FFT on acquired data on bending moments over a time span. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein increasing a load of the wind turbine includes increasing a set point for the tip-speed ratio. ### Claim 15 A wind turbine, comprising: a tower, at least one rotor blade; at least one wind turbine controller; at least one temperature sensor, at least one altitude sensor; at least one anemometer; at least one sensor for measuring a load on at least one wind turbine component; wherein the wind turbine controller is operable to determine a first load status of the wind turbine including a turbulence intensity, based on metereological data acquired by the at least one anemometer; determining a second load status of the wind turbine, based on mechanical loads on the at least one wind turbine component, determined from data from a sensor for measuring the load on the at least one wind turbine component; increasing a load of the wind turbine, if the determined first and second load status of the turbine are within selectable load limits. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wind turbine of claim 15, wherein the controller is operable to determine mechanical loads on the at least one wind turbine component by determining outplane bending moments from sensor data for measuring a deformation of the at least one rotor blade, and by comparing the determined bending moments with stored data on bending moments. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The wind turbine of claim 15, wherein the controller is operable to perform a fast fourier transformation on the determined outplane bending moments data, and to compare selectable parameters from the fast fourier transformation with stored data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The wind turbine of claim 15, wherein the controller is operable to determine outplane bending moments from sensor data by acquiring data from at least one sensor detecting a rotor position, and from at least one sensor detecting the deformation of the at least one rotor blade. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The wind turbine of claim 15, wherein the controller is operable to calculate a blade deformation from proximity sensor data, which is indicative of a distance between a rotor blade and the sensor.