Provided is a device and a method of damping front and backward movements of a tower of a wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine includes the tower and a rotor, the rotor being mounted at the top of the tower to rotate about a rotational axis in which the front and backward movements of the tower occur, and the rotor has a plurality of blades, wherein each blade has at least one corresponding active add-on member which is actuated by a corresponding actuator to alter aerodynamic properties of the blade. Each add-on member is actuated by the corresponding actuator to alter the aerodynamic properties of the blade in a manner that the rotor is configured to damp the front and backward movements of the tower of the wind turbine.

A rotor blade of a wind turbineis provided, the rotor blade including a lift modifying device having at least one fluid jet module and at least one compressed fluid sources, wherein the at least one fluid jet module includes multiple fluid jets, which are fluidically connected to the at least one compressed fluid source, whereby the at least one fluid jet module is mounted as an add-on onto an outer surface of the suction side or the pressure side of the rotor blade. Also provided is a method for installing this rotor blade, whereby a rotor blade is provided and the at least one fluid jet module is mounted as an add-on onto the outer surface of the suction side or the pressure side of the rotor blade.

A method of controlling at least one adaptable airflow regulating system, in particular spoiler and/or flap, of at least one rotor blade of a wind turbine having a wind turbine tower includes: determining a quantity related to a distance between the rotor blade and the wind turbine tower; controlling the airflow regulating system based on the quantity.

A flow control device on a structure such that strain in the structure is at least partially transferred to the flow control device is disclosed having at least two states, or shapes, separated by an elastic instability region. The flow control device is arranged to rapidly transition, or snap through, from the first state to the second state when strain in the structure exceeds an activation threshold of the flow control device. A spoiler on an aerofoil may have a rest position where it is substantially flush with the low pressure surface and an activated position where it protrudes from the low pressure surface and modifies the airflow over that surface. The spoiler bends to move from the rest position to the activated position when the strain in the aerofoil crosses a threshold. The deployed spoiler reduces the lift on the aerofoil, acting to reduce the lift induced strain of the aerofoil to which the spoiler is attached.

A method of controlling a wind turbine including a plurality of rotor blades, a first controller for controlling an adaptive flow regulating system having a plurality of individually controllable adaptive flow regulating devices arranged on the rotor blades, and a second controller for controlling a pitch regulating system for regulating a pitch angle of each rotor blade. The method includes (a) determining a diagnostic value indicative of an operational efficiency of the adaptive flow regulating system, (b) determining a first gain value for the first controller and a second gain value for the second controller based on the diagnostic value, (c) applying the first gain value to control signals for the adaptive flow regulating system generated by the first controller, and (d) applying the second gain value to control signals for the pitch regulating system generated by the second controller, is provided.

Provided is a method of estimating a value of wind speed a wind turbine is subjected to, the wind turbine having a rotor with rotor blades at least one having an adaptable flow regulating device installed, the method including: obtaining values for power output of the wind turbine, rotor speed of the rotor, and pitch angle of the rotor blades; obtaining state information of the adaptable flow regulating device; and estimating the value of the wind speed based on the values for power output, rotor speed, pitch angle and the state information of the adaptable flow regulating device.

Provided is an adaptable spoiler for a wind turbine rotor blade, including: a base element adapted to be connected at or integrated with a rotor blade; an airfoil element being attachable to the base element and having an airfoil shaped surface to be exposed to an air flow.

It is proposed a wind turbine (10), comprising: at least one rotor blade (20), at least one aerodynamic device (30) for influencing the airflow (71) flowing from the leading edge section (24) of the rotor blade (20) to the trailing edge section (23) of the rotor blade (20), wherein the aerodynamic device (30) is mounted at a surface (28) of the rotor blade (20), a pneumatic actuator (33) of the aerodynamic device (30) for actuating the aerodynamic device (30) at least between a first protruded configuration and a second retracted configuration, a pressure supply system (52) for operating the actuator (33) by means of a pressurized fluid, a centrifugal device (60, 70) rotatable about a rotor axis (Y) of the wind turbine (10), the centrifugal device (60) comprising an air inlet (61) of receiving a flow of the pressurized fluid including humidity from the pressure supply system (52) and a water outlet (62) for letting a flow of condensed water to exit the centrifugal device (60).

A method of detecting an adjustment fault related to a wind turbine rotor blade mounted at a wind turbine rotor and including an adaptable flow regulating device, in particular spoiler and/or flap, the method including: estimating a quantity indicative of a change of a driving impact of wind on the wind turbine rotor based on at least two settings of the adaptable flow regulating device; determining another quantity indicative of a desired change of the driving impact on the wind turbine rotor, in order to change a value of a rotor speed to a reference value of the rotor speed; and indicating an adjustment fault based on a comparison of the quantity with the other quantity, is provided.

A method for damping vibration in a wind turbine including aerodynamic devices for influencing the airflow flowing from the leading edge of a rotor blade of the wind turbine to the trailing edge of the rotor blade, each aerodynamic device being movable by an actuator between a first protruded configuration and a second retracted configuration is provided. The method includes measuring vibrations in the wind turbine, if the measured vibrations are greater than a threshold within a predefined frequency band, moving a portion of the aerodynamic devices to the second retracted configuration and continuing to measure vibrations, if the measured vibrations are still greater than a threshold within a frequency band, reducing the pitch angle interval of the blade and continuing to measure vibrations, if the measured vibrations are still greater than a threshold within a frequency band, moving all the aerodynamic devices to the second retracted configuration.