System and method for reducing vortex-induced tower vibrations of a wind turbine

US10337495B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Jorge Gonzalez Castro · Berlin, DE
• Hubert Oing · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 19, 2016
• Grant date: Jul 2, 2019
• Expiry date: Aug 26, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/72
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for reducing vortex-induced vibrations of a tower of a wind turbine. The wind turbine has a nacelle mounted atop the tower. The nacelle has a rotor with a rotatable hub having at least one rotor blade mounted thereto. The rotor blade has a first pitch position. Thus, the method includes measuring, via one or more sensors, an acceleration of the nacelle. The method also includes determining a rotor speed of the rotor. Further, the method includes determining a second pitch position for the rotor blade based on the acceleration of the nacelle and the rotor speed and pitching the rotor blade to the second pitch position if the rotor speed is below a speed threshold and the acceleration of the nacelle is above an acceleration threshold. As such, the second pitch position disturbs vortices caused by interactions between the tower and the rotor blade as the rotor blade passes in front of the tower so as to reduce vortex-induced vibrations of the tower.