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 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . 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 controller configured to receive the signal from the sensor and generate a plurality of control signals based at least on the received signal; and   a pitch adjustment module configured to transmit the plurality of control signals to a plurality of pitch adjustment devices located on a blade of a wind turbine, wherein each of the plurality of pitch adjustment devices is configured to adjust pitch of a corresponding portion of the blade based at least on one of the plurality of control signals.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sensor comprises a velocimeter. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal based at least 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.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the sensor is configured to continuously sample the inflow of wind. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , 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.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , 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 the portions of the blade based at least on the control signal using a prediction process based at least on the received signal and stored historical data.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate the control signal based at least 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 plurality of pitch adjustment devices;   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 plurality of pitch adjustment devices is based at least on the known response time of the plurality of pitch adjustment devices.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of pitch adjustment devices comprises an aerodynamic device coupled to or integrated with the blade of the wind turbine. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the aerodynamic device comprises a spanwise tab or flap. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising
 a yaw detection system configured to generate at least a transition yaw signal during a transition time period,   wherein the controller is further configured to generate the plurality of control signals to control the pitch of the portions of the blade based at least on the transition yaw signal.   
     
     
         31 . A method, comprising:
 determining a first value corresponding to a configuration of a plurality of pitch adjustment devices associated with a plurality of sections of a blade of a wind turbine;   determining a second value corresponding to a position of the blade of the wind turbine at a predetermined moment in time;   determining direction and speed data of an inflow of wind;   determining a plurality of pitch adjustment control parameters based at least on the first and second values and the direction and speed date of the inflow of wind;   transmitting the pitch adjustment control parameters to the plurality of pitch adjustment devices.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 determining at least one of yaw and tilt of the wind turbine,   wherein the plurality of pitch adjustment control parameters are further based at least on the at least one of the yaw and the tilt.   
     
     
         33 . A method, comprising:
 determining direction and speed of an inflow of wind to be received at a blade of a wind turbine;   producing a plurality of control signals for a plurality of pitch adjustment devices based at least on the direction and speed of the inflow of wind, wherein each of the plurality of pitch adjustment devices is configured to adjust pitch of a corresponding portion of the blade based at least on one of the plurality of control signals; and   transmitting the plurality of control signals to the plurality of pitch adjustment devices.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , 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 producing plurality of control signals is based at least on the filtered signal.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  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 plurality of control signals are further based at least on at least one of 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. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein producing the plurality of control signals further comprises:
 accessing each of the plurality of control signals in a look up table including correlations between the direction and speed of the inflow of wind and a control signal value; and   calculating each of the plurality of control signals based at least on processing the direction and speed of the inflow of wind using an algorithm.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , 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 a first pitch adjustment device; and   determining when to transmit a first control signal to the first pitch adjustment device based at least on the arrival time and the response time.