Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Load Reduction via Predictive Pitch Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wind turbine pitch drive mechanisms often saturate and experience significant wear due to inadequate adjustment speed for varying wind velocities, leading to increased loads on rotor blades.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes a controller communicatively coupled to the pitch drive mechanism, which monitors the load of one rotor blade and adjusts the pitch angle of another rotor blade before it enters a high load sector, using sensors to determine load thresholds and sector positions, thereby mitigating load variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the pitch drive mechanisms adjust the pitch angles of the rotor blades quickly to compensate for changes in wind velocity, then the loads on the rotor blades are reduced, but the pitch drive mechanisms become saturated and experience significant wear
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary actions by adjusting the pitch angles of the rotor blades in advance before they enter high wind velocity sectors. By using sensor data to identify upcoming high-load sectors and proactively adjusting pitch angles, the system reduces loads on rotor blades without requiring continuous rapid adjustments, thereby preventing pitch drive mechanism saturation and wear.
2Productivity
If the pitch drive mechanisms continuously adjust the pitch angles to track optimal positions, then energy extraction is maximized, but the mechanisms experience saturation and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensor data to predict upcoming high-load sectors and performs preliminary pitch angle adjustments before the rotor blades enter these sectors. This proactive approach allows the pitch drive mechanisms to make fewer, more strategic adjustments rather than continuous tracking, maintaining energy extraction efficiency while reducing mechanism wear and saturation.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives feedback from sensors that detect rotor blade loads and wind conditions, using this information to intelligently determine when pitch angle adjustments are necessary. This feedback-driven control allows the system to optimize energy extraction only when needed, avoiding unnecessary continuous adjustments that would saturate and wear the pitch drive mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the pitch drive mechanisms respond reactively to high wind velocities, then the loads are reduced, but the mechanisms experience saturation due to insufficient adjustment speed
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary pitch angle adjustments based on sensor data identifying upcoming high-load sectors, rather than waiting for loads to actually increase. This proactive timing ensures adjustments are made at optimal moments when the pitch drive mechanisms have sufficient time to respond, avoiding saturation caused by reactive adjustments that occur too late.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a method for reducing loads of one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine. The method includes monitoring a load of a first rotor blade. If the load of the first rotor blade exceeds a first load threshold, the method also includes designating a rotor plane sector in which the first rotor blade is located as a high load rotor plane sector. The method further includes adjusting, via a pitch drive mechanism, a pitch angle of a second rotor blade toward a first position before the second rotor blade enters the high load rotor plane sector.