General Electric Company

Ge Vernova Infrastructure Technology LLC

General Electric Renovables Espana, S.l.

Thomas Franklin Perley

Brandon Shane Gerber

Aaron Alpheus Yarbrough

Till Hoffmann

Ian Couchman

Jignesh Govindlal Gandhi

Arne Koerber

Rahul Rastogi

Christopher Daniel Caruso

Mark Edward Cardinal

Thomas Frank Fric

Robert Peter Slack

Bernardo Adrian Movsichoff

Venkata Krishna Vadlamudi

Katherine Derksen Stinson

Monika Marwaha

Tim Robert Gerloff

Jingting Xiao

A method for damping drivetrain vibrations of a wind turbine. The drivetrain has, at least, a rotor and a generator. The method includes receiving a first rotational speed signal at a first location along the drivetrain, the first rotational speed signal being a proxy for rotor speed of the rotor. The method also includes receiving a second rotational speed signal at a second location along the drivetrain, the second location being downwind from the first location, the second rotational speed signal being a proxy for generator speed of the generator. Further, the method includes determining a speed error based on a comparison of the first and second rotational speed signals. Moreover, the method includes determining a torque deviation signal for the wind turbine configured to dampen the drivetrain vibrations when the speed error exceeds a first speed threshold. In addition, the method includes applying the torque deviation signal to the generator to dampen the drivetrain vibrations.

System and method for monitoring vibrations in a drivetrain of a wind turbine

A method for controlling a wind turbine includes receiving, via a control system, at least one speed measurement from at least one sensor on a drivetrain of the wind turbine. The method also includes receiving, via the control system, at least one rate gyroscope speed measurement from at least one rate gyroscope on the drivetrain of the wind turbine. The method also includes calculating, via the control system, an offset for the at least one rate gyroscope speed measurement as a function of the at least one speed measurement. The method also includes adjusting, via the control system, the at least one rate gyroscope speed measurement by the offset. The method also includes implementing, via the control system, a control action for the wind turbine based on the adjusted at least one rate gyroscope speed measurement.

System and method for controlling a speed of a wind turbine

A method for detecting and responding to a failure in a drivetrain of a wind turbine includes estimating a first rotational speed signal at a first location along the drivetrain via one or more rate gyroscopes mounted in a hub, the first rotational speed signal being a proxy for rotor speed of a rotor. The method also includes processing the first rotational speed signal to account for a bias in the first rotational speed signal due to use of the rate gyroscope(s). Further, the method includes receiving a second rotational speed signal at a second location along the drivetrain, the second location being downwind from the first location, the first and second locations being on opposing sides of a potential slip location of the drivetrain. Moreover, the method includes determining a speed error based on a comparison of the first and second rotational speed signals. In addition, the method includes comparing the speed error to a threshold and implementing a control action when the speed error exceeds the threshold.

System and method for detecting and responding to failures in a drivetrain of a wind turbine

A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine in response to a blade liberation event. Accordingly, estimated response signatures for the wind turbine are determined. Sensor data indicative of at least two actual response signatures of components of the wind turbine to a rotor loading are collected. The actual response signatures are compared to the estimated response signatures. The two or more actual response signatures meeting or exceeding the estimated response signatures is indicative of a blade liberation event. In response to detecting the blade liberation event, a rapid shutdown control logic is initiated to decelerate the rotor at a rate which exceeds a nominal deceleration rate of the rotor.

System and method for controlling a wind turbine in response to a blade liberation event

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for automatically calibrating a load sensor system of a wind turbine and determining health of same. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of sensor signals generated by the plurality of load sensors from the load sensor system. The method also includes determining, via a computer model, a load estimation of the wind turbine based on the sensor signals, turbine geometry, and one or more additional input parameters (e.g. rotor azimuth angle, pitch angle, rotor position, etc.). Another step includes comparing the load estimation to a load measurement to determine one or more correlation coefficients. Thus, the method also includes calibrating the plurality of sensors in the load sensor system based on the correlation coefficients.

System and method for auto-calibrating a load sensor system of a wind turbine

A method is provided for operation of a wind turbine having rotor blades attached to a hub, wherein a controller compensates for torsionally induced blade twist. The method includes operating the wind turbine according to a rated power output curve and maximum design thrust value, and periodically or continuously detecting for induced torsional twist in the rotor blades. Upon determination of torsional twist being induced in the rotor blades, the method includes adjusting the maximum thrust value in the control program to compensate for the induced twist. The wind turbine controller then controls pitch of the rotor blades as a function of the increased maximum thrust value so that power output of the wind turbine is not unnecessarily limited or increased by the induced twist on the rotor blades.

Methods for controlling wind turbine with thrust control twist compensation

The present subject matter is directed to a method for estimating rotor blade loads, e.g. a blade root resultant moment, of a wind turbine. In one embodiment, the method includes measuring, via one or more sensors, a plurality of operating parameters of the wind turbine. Another step includes estimating out-of-plane and in-plane forces acting on the rotor blade based at least partially on the plurality of operating parameters. Further, the method includes determining an application point for the out-of-plane and in-plane forces along a span of the rotor blade. A further step includes estimating out-of-plane and in-plane moments of the rotor blade based at least partially on the out-of-plane and in-plane forces and the respective application points. Thus, the method includes calculating the load acting on the rotor blade based at least partially on the out-of-plane and in-plane moments.

System and method for estimating rotor blade loads of a wind turbine

The present subject matter is directed to a method for operating a wind turbine. The method includes calculating one or more blade root loads, e.g. a blade root resultant moment, of at least one rotor blade of the wind turbine. Another step includes estimating a span-wise loading of the rotor blade based at least partially on the one or more blade root loads. The method also includes determining a deformation margin of the rotor blade based at least partially on the span-wise loading and one or more estimated deformations occurring on the rotor blade. Another step includes controlling the wind turbine based on the deformation margin.

System and method for operating a wind turbine based on rotor blade margin

A system and method for braking a wind turbine includes monitoring rotation of the wind turbine generator rotor. A braking torque is applied to reduce the rotational speed of the rotor at a first setpoint rotational speed. The braking torque is proportionally increased as the rotational speed of the rotor increases beyond the first detected setpoint rotational speed up to a maximum braking torque.

System and method for braking a wind turbine rotor at an overspeed condition

The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for dynamically controlling a wind turbine. The method includes operating the wind turbine based on a thrust set point and a speed set point. A next step includes determining a desired change in actual speed of the wind turbine in response to control actuations starting from an instantaneous operating point. The method also includes determining a desired change in thrust of the wind turbine in response to control actuations starting from the instantaneous operating point. Next, the method determines at least one parameter set point that achieves the desired change in speed and the desired change in thrust and controls the wind turbine based on the parameter set point so as to maintain the actual thrust and the actual speed of the wind turbine within a certain tolerance of the thrust set point and the speed set point, thereby regulating loads acting on the wind turbine while simultaneously maintaining optimal or near optimal power output.

System and method for thrust-speed control of a wind turbine

Systems and methods for preventing excessive loading on a wind turbine are disclosed. The method includes determining a current wind turbine parameter using at least one operating condition via a processor, the operating condition indicative of wind turbine operation; storing the current wind turbine parameter in a memory store over a predetermined time period; calculating a standard deviation of a plurality of the stored current wind turbine parameters; determining a future wind turbine parameter; calculating a maximum wind turbine parameter as a function of the standard deviation of the plurality of stored wind turbine parameters and the future wind turbine parameter; and, controlling the wind turbine based on a difference between the maximum wind turbine parameter and a parameter setpoint to prevent excessive loading from acting on the wind turbine.

System and method for preventing excessive loading on a wind turbine

Systems and methods for preventing excessive loading on a wind turbine are disclosed. The method includes: measuring an actual wind parameter upwind from the wind turbine using one or more sensors; providing the measured wind parameter to a processor; providing a plurality of wind turbine operating data to the processor; utilizing the plurality of operating data to determine an estimated wind turbine condition at the wind turbine; generating a control wind profile based on the actual wind parameter and the estimated wind turbine condition; and, implementing a control action based on the control wind profile to prevent excessive loading from acting on the wind turbine.

A control system for a wind turbine includes a detecting system configured to determine at least one of a rotor load, a wind shear, a wind speed, and a load imbalance due to wind shear. An adjusting system is configured to adjust a shaft moment set point correction value based on at least one of the rotor load, the wind shear, the wind speed, and the load imbalance. A compensating system is configured to compute a shaft moment correction command based on the shaft moment set point correction value output from the adjusting system. A pitch system is configured to adjust a pitch of at least one blade of the wind turbine based on the shaft moment set point correction command, or a yaw system is configured to adjust the yaw position of a rotor based on the shaft moment set point correction command.

System and method for adaptive rotor imbalance control

A method and system for reducing a torsional movement and/or a torsional loading of a tower of a wind turbine is disclosed includes generating a tower torsion signal with a detection system and providing the signal to an asymmetric load control assembly. The tower torsion signal may correspond to an actual torsional movement of the tower or a torsional loading of the tower. The asymmetric load control assembly is configured to mitigate an asymmetric load acting on the wind turbine using the tower torsion signal.

Asymmetric load control for torsion fatigue reduction in a wind turbine tower

Systems and methods for controlling a wind turbine are disclosed. The method includes: measuring a loading condition acting on the wind turbine; determining a first scaler factor based on the measured loading condition; determining a correction parameter for the wind turbine, the correction parameter a function of at least two measured operating conditions and representative of a real-time operational state of the wind turbine; determining a second scaler factor based on the correction parameter; calculating an adjustment set point based on the first scaler factor and the second scaler factor; and, controlling the wind turbine based on the adjustment set point.

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Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Thomas Franklin Perley