Controlling the pitch angle of a rotor blade of a wind turbine

A controller for a wind turbine comprising a rotor blade and a hydraulic pitch actuator system, the hydraulic pitch actuator system being operatively coupled to the controller and to the rotor blade for controlling a pitch angle of the rotor blade, the controller being configured to perform an operation, comprising:

• receiving a current pitch signal of the rotor blade;
• receiving a pitch reference signal indicating a desired pitch angle for the rotor blade;
• receiving an operating parameter signal from the hydraulic pitch actuator system;
• generating a feedback signal based on the operating parameter signal;
• using a gain scheduler to provide a variable feedback gain;
• generating a damping signal based on the feedback signal and the variable feedback gain;
• generating a pitch control command based on a difference between the current pitch signal and the pitch reference signal, and on the damping signal;
• and
• sending the pitch control command to the hydraulic pitch actuator system.

A wind turbine, comprising:

• a tower;
• a nacelle disposed on the tower;
• a rotor extending from the nacelle;
• a rotor blade;
• coupled to the rotor;
• a controller;
• a hydraulic pitch actuator system operatively coupled to the controller and to the rotor blade for controlling a pitch angle of the rotor blade;
• wherein the controller is configured to perform an operation, comprising:
• receiving a current pitch signal of the rotor blade;
• receiving a pitch reference signal indicating a desired pitch angle for the rotor blade;
• receiving an operating parameter signal from the hydraulic pitch actuator system;
• generating a feedback signal based on the operating parameter signal;
• using a gain scheduler to provide a variable feedback gain;
• generating a damping signal based on the feedback signal and the variable feedback gain;
• generating a pitch control command based on a difference between the current pitch signal and the pitch reference signal, and on the damping signal;
• and
• sending the pitch control command to the hydraulic pitch actuator system.

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to execute an operation for controlling a pitch angle of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising the rotor blade and a hydraulic pitch actuator system, the hydraulic pitch actuator system being operatively coupled to the rotor blade, the operation comprising:

• receiving a current pitch signal of the rotor blade;
• receiving a pitch reference signal indicating a desired pitch angle for the rotor blade;
• receiving an operating parameter signal from the hydraulic pitch actuator system;
• generating a feedback signal based on the operating parameter signal;
• using a gain scheduler to provide a variable feedback gain;
• generating a damping signal based on the feedback signal and the variable feedback gain;
• generating a pitch control command based on a difference between the current pitch signal and the pitch reference signal, and on the damping signal;
• and
• sending the pitch control command to the hydraulic pitch actuator system