Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Roughness Control via Pitch Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbines experience reduced power generation and increased noise due to aerodynamically rough rotor blades caused by fouling, erosion, and other surface irregularities, leading to decreased Annual Energy Production (AEP) and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for controlling wind turbines by monitoring operating parameters and adjusting pitch angles and generator operations based on detected surface roughness, using sensors to differentiate between clean and rough blade conditions, allowing for optimized performance despite surface irregularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rotor blades operate with aerodynamically rough surfaces due to fouling and erosion, then the wind turbine continues to operate without interruption, but power generation decreases significantly and noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors operating parameters (power output, blade pitch angle, rotor speed, generator torque) and uses this feedback to detect changes in blade surface conditions. When roughness is detected through parameter analysis, the system adjusts operating parameters to optimize performance despite the rough surface, thereby maintaining productivity while enabling continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operating parameters (blade pitch angle, rotor speed, generator torque) based on detected surface roughness conditions. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system compensates for the aerodynamic degradation caused by rough blades, recovering a significant percentage of power generation loss while maintaining continuous operation.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If rotor blades become aerodynamically rough due to fouling, then the wind turbine can continue operating, but Annual Energy Production (AEP) decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-diagnosis by monitoring its own operating parameters to detect blade surface roughness. It automatically adjusts its operating parameters to compensate for the roughness, enabling the wind turbine to serve itself and maintain optimized performance without external intervention, thereby preserving AEP while extending operational duration between maintenance cycles.
3Ease of operation
If rotor blades have rough surfaces from deposits and erosion, then the wind turbine operates without maintenance interruptions, but noise generation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes operating parameters (particularly blade pitch angle and rotor speed) in response to detected surface roughness conditions. These parameter adjustments modify the aerodynamic interaction between the rough blades and incoming wind, reducing turbulence and noise generation while maintaining maintenance-free operation.
4Productivity
If the wind turbine operates with rough rotor blades, then continuous power generation is maintained, but blade performance decreases due to reduced lift and increased drag
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes blade pitch angle and rotor speed based on detected surface roughness conditions. By adjusting these parameters, the system compensates for the reduced lift and increased drag caused by rough blades, recovering a significant percentage of power loss and maintaining continuous power generation despite degraded blade performance.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method 100 for controlling a wind turbine 10 based on an identified surface condition of a rotor blade 22 includes monitoring 102 an operating parameter of the wind turbine 10 to obtain parameter data related to the operating parameter as an operating input of the wind turbine 10 changes, analyzing 104 the parameter data to identify a roughness state of the rotor blade 22 and performing 106 a corrective action in response to the identified roughness state.