Independent blade pitch control

Abstract

A system and method are provided to increase efficiency of turbines in wind farms. A sensor is configured to detect direction and speed of an inflow of wind. A controller is configured to generate a control signal based the detected direction and speed of the inflow of wind. A pitch adjustment device configured to adjust pitch of a blade of the turbine based on the control signal.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a sensor configured to detect direction and speed of an inflow of wind and output a signal indicative of the direction and speed of the inflow of wind;   a yaw detection system configured to determine at least one of a yaw and a tilt of a wind turbine,   a controller configured to receive the signal from the sensor and generate a control signal based on the received signal and the determined at least one of the yaw and the tilt of the wind turbine; and   a pitch adjustment device configured to adjust pitch of a blade of the wind turbine based on the control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a velocimeter. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal based on at least one of:
 real-time wind slice data at one or more distances from the sensor;   a model of atmospheric conditions during one or more time periods; and   induced wake effects.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to continuously sample the inflow of wind. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises at least one of:
 a programmable logic controller; and   a look-up table that correlates pitch adjustment to the direction and speed of the inflow of wind to generate the control signal.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 process the received signal using an algorithm to generate the control signal; and   determine timing of an adjustment of the pitch of a blade of a wind turbine based on the control signal using a prediction process based on the received signal and stored historical data.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate the control signal based on at least one of:
 a determined timewise location of the blade of the wind turbine correlated to the received signal;   a known response time of the pitch adjustment device;   a known response time of the sensor; and   stored historical wind data,   wherein timing of transmission of the control signal from the controller to the pitch adjustment device is based on the known response time of the pitch adjustment device.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pitch adjustment device comprises:
 an aerodynamic device coupled to or integrated with the blade of the wind turbine.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the aerodynamic device comprises a spanwise tab or flap. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the yaw detection system is further configured to generate at least a transition yaw signal during a transition time period,   wherein the controller is further configured to generate the control signal to control the pitch based on the transition yaw signal.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more fine pitch adjustment devices coupled to one or more respective sections along the blade and configured to independently adjust a pitch of the one or more respective sections of the blade based on the control signal,   wherein the fine pitch adjustment devices comprise a plurality of aerodynamic devices located at each of the respective sections configured to perform the fine pitch adjustment.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of aerodynamic devices comprise tabs or flaps. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 determining a first value corresponding to a configuration of one or more controllers and one or more corresponding actuators associated with one or more sections of a wind turbine blade;   determining a second value corresponding to a position of the wind turbine blade at a predetermined moment in time;   determining control parameters based on the first and second values;   accessing direction and speed data of an inflow of wind;   controlling pitch of the one or more sections of the wind turbine blade based on the control parameters and the direction and speed data of the inflow of wind.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining at least one of yaw and tilt of the wind turbine,   wherein controlling the pitch of the one or more sections of the wind turbine blade is further based on the at least one of the yaw and the tilt   
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 determining direction and speed of an inflow of wind to be received at a blade of a wind turbine;   determining at least one of a yaw and a tilt of a wind turbine,   producing a control signal based on the direction and speed of the inflow of wind and the determined at least one of the yaw and the tilt of a wind turbine; and   adjusting a pitch of the blade of the wind turbine based on the control signal.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining outlier values in the direction and speed of the inflow of wind; and   generating a filtered signal by filtering out the outlier values,   wherein the producing of the control signal is based on the filtered signal.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 determining at least one of atmospheric conditions, induced wake effects, historical data of a location of the wind turbine, parameters of the blade, parameters of the wind turbine, yaw, tilt, and orientation and speed of the blade during a predetermined moment in time, 
 wherein the control signal further is produced using the direction and speed of the inflow of wind and at least one of atmospheric conditions, the induced wake effects, the historical data of the location of the wind turbine, the parameters of the blade, the parameters of the wind turbine, the yaw, the tilt, and the orientation and speed of the blade. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the producing further comprises:
 accessing the control signal in a look up table including correlations between the direction and speed of the inflow of wind and a control signal value; and   calculating the control signal based on processing the direction and speed of the inflow of wind using an algorithm.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the blade comprises a plurality of portions and adjusting the pitch of the blade comprises individually adjusting at least one of the plurality of portions. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining an arrival time corresponding to when a slice of wind vectors within the inflow of wind will arrive at the blade;   determining a response time of the adjusting of the pitch; and   determining when to transmit the control signal based on the arrival time and the response time.