Robust multi-input multi-output control of floating offshore wind turbines
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
InventorsLucy Pao, David Stockhouse
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system for a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT). The FOWT includes a floating base, a tower, a nacelle, and rotor with blades that harvest energy from wind passing the FOWT. Without a rigid support, however, the FOWT is able to move. The controller uses generator speed and platform pitch position of the FOWT as inputs and manipulates blade pitch and torque resistance to achieve stability.
Claims19
A controller for a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) comprising:
- a blade pitch actuator configured to adjust a blade pitch of blades of the FOWT;
- a torque resistance actuator configured to adjust torque resistance of the FOWT;
- a processor;
- and
- a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to perform a method, the method comprising:
- receiving a generator speed and a platform pitch angle as an input to the controller;
- and
- based, at least in part, upon the input to the controller, adjusting at least one of the blade pitch angle using the blade pitch actuator and the torque resistance using the torque resistance actuator to improve stability of the FOWT, wherein a gain scheduler is derived using a multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) system robustness.
A floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT), comprising:
- a base;
- a tower;
- a nacelle coupled to the tower and housing wind turbine components;
- blades coupled to the wind turbine components within the nacelle, the blades protruding from the nacelle, wherein the wind turbine components include an adjustable torque resistance component that adjusts a torque resistance of the wind turbine components;
- blade pitch actuators coupled to the blades that adjust a pitch of the blades;
- a position monitor or estimator configured to measure or estimate a pitch angle of the FOWT defined as an angle relative to vertical generally aligned with the tower;
- and
- a controller configured to receive the wind speed and platform pitch angle of the FOWT as inputs, the controller being configured to calculate adjustments to at least one of the blade pitch using the blade pitch actuators, and a torque resistance using the torque resistance component.
A system for stabilizing a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT), comprising:
- a position sensor or estimator for determining a position of the FOWT, wherein the FOWT has a base that sits in a body of water, a tower extending vertically from the base, a nacelle, and blades protruding from the nacelle such that wind moving past the blades causes the blades to rotate to generate power;
- a generator that generates power from the blades as the wind causes the blades to rotate, the generator having a speed;
- blade pitch actuators that adjust a pitch of the blades, wherein increasing the pitch of the blades decreases torque caused by the passing wind and decreasing the pitch of the blades increases torque caused by the passing wind;
- a resistance torque actuator that adjusts resistance torque, wherein increasing resistance torque causes the turbine to generate more power and more resistance to aerodynamic torque, and decreasing resistance torque causes the turbine to generate less power and less resistance to aerodynamic torque;
- and
- a controller configured to receive as inputs the generator speed and the position of the FOWT to adjust the pitch of the blades using the blade pitch actuator, and to adjust the resistance torque in response to the inputs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.