Method of controlling the operation of a wind turbine and wind turbine for use in said method
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorAnders Varming Rebsdorf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The wind turbine (1) comprises a rotor (2) with a number of blades mounted for rotation about a mainly horizontal axis, and the pitch of the blades of the wind turbine is controlled dependence on measured parameters to optimize the operation of the wind turbine with respect to produced energy under varying weather and wind conditions. By measuring mechanical loads on the blades (7, 8), and controlling the pitch of the blades of the wind turbine in such a way, that the measured mechanical loads are maintained below certain limits during operation, the control can be performed closer to the mechanical load limits of the blades without risk of exceeding these limits.
Claims9
A method of controlling (4) the operations of a wind turbine (1) comprising a rotor (2) with a number of blades mounted for rotation about a mainly horizontal axis (3), said method comprising
- a) controlling (4) the pitch of the blades of the wind turbine (1) in dependence on measured parameters in order to optimize the operation of the wind turbine (1) with respect to produced energy under varying weather and wind conditions, and
- b) measuring (7,8) mechanical loads on the blades, characterized by further comprising using the measured (7,8) mechanical loads to calculate the positions of the blade tips and adjusting the control (4) of the wind turbine (1) in order to maintain a certain safety distance between the blades and a tower (5).
A wind turbine, comprising
- a rotor with a number of blades mounted for rotation about a mainly horizontal axis,
- means for controlling the pitch of the blades in dependence on measured parameters,
- mechanical load sensors mounted to measure the mechanical loads on the blades and connected to influence the means for controlling the pitch of the blades,
- characterized by the mechanical load sensors being connected to a controller comprising means for calculating the positions of the blade tips and influencing the control of the individual blade pitch angles in order to maintain a certain safety distance between the blades and a tower.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.