System and Method for Protecting Wind Turbines During Wind Gusts

A system for protecting a wind turbine from wind gusts, the system comprising:

• a plurality of sensors configured to monitor a wind speed and a wind direction at the wind turbine;
• a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the processor configured to perform one or more operations, the one or more operations comprising:
• determining a wind gust threshold, wherein wind speeds and wind directions above the wind gust threshold, respectively, are indicative of an extreme wind gust occurring at the wind turbine;
• comparing the monitored wind speed or a function thereof and the wind direction or function thereof to the wind gust threshold, respectively;
• and,
• implementing a corrective action when the monitored wind speed and the monitored wind direction exceed the wind gust threshold, respectively.

A method for protecting a wind turbine from extreme wind gusts, the method comprising:

• simultaneously monitoring a wind speed and a wind direction at the wind turbine;
• determining a wind gust threshold, the wind gust threshold being indicative of an extreme wind gust occurring at the wind turbine;
• and,
• modifying an operational state of the wind turbine only when both the monitored wind speed exceeds the wind gust threshold and the monitored wind direction exceeds the wind gust threshold.