Dynamic Pitch Control for Wind Turbine Blades
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine pitch control systems are inefficient in reducing thrust on the tower and rotor, and do not effectively maximize power production.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a feed forward regulation system for wind turbine blades that uses the load on preceding blades and other operational parameters to perform dynamic pitch control, combining with existing feedback systems and incorporating a scaling factor and variable delay to optimize pitch adjustments based on rotor azimuth position and actuator dynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional feedback pitch control is used, then the control system is simple to implement, but the thrust on the tower and rotor cannot be effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feed forward regulation that utilizes load measurements from preceding blades to proactively adjust the pitch of upcoming blades before they experience peak loads. This predictive approach reduces thrust forces on the tower and rotor by preparing the pitch adjustment in advance, rather than reacting after the load occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines traditional feedback control with feed forward regulation. The feedback component maintains system stability and handles current blade loads, while the feed forward component uses measurements from previous blades to predict and prepare for upcoming loads, creating a comprehensive control strategy that reduces thrust effectively.
2Measurement precision
If feed forward regulation based on preceding blade load is implemented, then pitch regulation precision is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs pitch adjustments based on load measurements from preceding blades before the current blade experiences peak loading conditions. This timing optimization, combined with variable delay adjustment, ensures that pitch regulation occurs at the precise moment needed to counteract asymmetric loads, improving regulation precision without requiring overly complex system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the delay parameter based on rotor azimuth position and actuator dynamics to optimize the timing of pitch regulation. This dynamic adjustment allows the feed forward signal to be synchronized precisely with the rotational position and actuator response characteristics, enhancing precision while maintaining manageable system complexity through adaptive parameter tuning.
3Productivity
If variable delay and scaling factor are used to optimize pitch adjustments, then power production is maximized, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes power production by dynamically adjusting delay and scaling factor parameters based on rotor azimuth position and actuator dynamics. These parameter changes enable precise timing of pitch adjustments to maximize energy capture from varying wind conditions. The automated parameter adaptation handles the complexity internally, maintaining ease of operation while achieving optimal power production.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically adjusts its own parameters (delay and scaling factor) based on real-time operational conditions such as rotor position and actuator response characteristics. This self-adjusting capability maximizes power production across varying wind conditions without requiring manual intervention or complex external tuning, thereby maintaining ease of operation despite the sophisticated control strategy.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for dynamic pitch control primarily for wind turbine blades, which system calculates the pitch position of the wind turbine blades independently, which control system performs feedback regulation. The object of the pending patent application is to perform effective pitch regulation and hereby to reduce thrust on the tower and the rotor. This can be achieved if the system performs feed forward regulation of the pitch of the blades, based on the load of the previous blade in substantially the same position. Hereby it can be achieved that the actual load on the previous blade has passed the same position in relation to the wind blowing around the wind turbine. Hereby it can be achieved that measured parameters are used after a short delay to perform a very precise and highly efficient adjustment of the next wind turbine blade passing the same position. The feed forward regulation can be combined with already existing control parameters for pitch control of wind turbine blades.