Wind Turbine Blade Flap Control for Load Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern wind turbines face challenges in managing blade loads due to increasing wind velocities and turbulence, which can lead to fatigue and inefficiencies in power generation, as existing control strategies are inadequate in reacting quickly to sudden changes in wind conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the prediction of high loads using LIDAR systems or internal measurements, followed by the actuation of movable trailing edge surfaces such as flaps to increase their control range, combined with pitching mechanisms to maintain operational stability and counteract predicted loads, ensuring efficient power generation without substantial disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If blades are made lighter to control Cost of Energy, then COE is improved, but blade loads become more critical and fatigue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses LIDAR to detect incoming wind gusts and turbulence before they reach the rotor, allowing the control system to pre-position flaps and adjust pitch angles in advance. This preliminary action prevents excessive blade loads from occurring in the first place, enabling the use of lighter blades without compromising structural integrity.
2Reliability
If pitch systems are used to adapt blade position to varying wind conditions, then power output stability is improved, but response time to sudden wind changes is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
By detecting wind conditions upstream with LIDAR, the system prepares the flaps and pitch mechanism before the actual wind gust reaches the blades. This advance preparation ensures that when wind conditions change suddenly, the blades are already in the optimal position to maintain stable power output.
Solution Approach 2:
The LIDAR system acts as an intermediary between the incoming wind and the rotor, providing early warning of wind gusts and turbulence. This intermediate detection layer allows the control system to react faster than would be possible with direct blade load measurement alone.
3Force
If flaps are actuated to quickly modify lift and drag, then blade load control is improved, but control range is limited when flaps are at extreme positions
Solution Approach 1:
When a wind gust is detected, the system moves flaps toward their neutral position in advance, creating headroom for both positive and negative deflections. This preliminary repositioning ensures that when the actual gust arrives, the flaps have maximum control range available to counteract the load variations effectively.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for effective management of blade loads, reducing fatigue and maintaining power generation efficiency by anticipating and mitigating high loads through strategic flap positioning and pitching, thereby extending the operational lifespan and performance of wind turbines.
Implementation Method 1
The method may furthermore comprise using a LIDAR system or internal measurements to predict a high load for one or more of the blades at a second moment in time
Implementation Method 2
Flaps along the trailing edge of a blade can be actuated relatively quickly and have the capability of quickly modifying the lift and drag (loads) of a blade
Implementation Method 3
Pitch systems may be employed in wind turbines for adapting the position of a wind turbine blade to varying wind conditions by rotating the blade along its longitudinal axis
Data Source
AI summary
Method of operating a wind turbine comprising a plurality of blades rotatable along their longitudinal axes using a pitch mechanism, and comprising one or more movable trailing edge surfaces. The method includes predicting, at a first moment in time, a high load for one or more of the blades at a second moment in time. The method further comprises actuating on one or more of the movable trailing edge surfaces of these blades such that the trailing edge surfaces have a wider range of control to counteract the predicted high loads before the second moment in time, and simultaneously pitching the blades such as not to negatively affect the operation of the wind turbine. The method furthermore comprises, at the second moment in time, actuating the one or more movable trailing edge surfaces of the at least one or more blades to counteract the high loads.