A proactive method and related wind turbine system are provided for reducing vibrations in the rotor blades when the rotor hub is locked against rotation. The method includes determining an initial blade orientation to wind direction and wind parameters for wind impacting the rotor blades. Based on the wind parameters and blade orientation, an angle of attack is determined for the rotor blades that will at least reduce vibrations expected to be induced in the blades from the current wind conditions. With a controller, the rotor blades are pitched to achieve the angle of attack using a pitch control system. The angle of attack is determined and the rotor blades are pitched from the initial blade orientation to the new angle of attack prior to vibrations being induced in the rotor blades.

The invention relates to a method of identifying a wind distribution pattern over a rotor plane and a wind turbine thereof. At least one operating parameter of the wind turbine and a rotational position of the rotor are measured over a time period. A first wind turbine blade passing signal is extracted from the measured operating parameter and a second wind turbine blade passing signal is generated from the rotational position. The first and second wind turbine blade passing signals are then analysed to determine the characteristics of the actual wind turbine blade passing signal in the rotor plane. These characteristics are afterwards compared to the characteristics of a plurality of known wind distribution patterns, and a unique relationship between the characteristics of the wind turbine blade passing signal and the wind distribution pattern is used to identify a distinctive wind distribution pattern.

A method of controlling a wind turbine comprising blades attached to a rotor hub for rotation in a rotor plane and a control system for individually pitching the blades relative to the hub. The method comprises dividing the rotor plane into a number of sectors, determining the individual sectors for each blade during the rotation by means of an azimuth angle sensor, and obtaining blade sensor data from a blade sensor on an individual blade relating to a sector, and comparing the obtained data with data relating to the same sector and representing blade sensor data on other blades. When an event is detected in a given sector, an individual pitch contribution is determined in the sector, and the blades are then pitched according to this individual pitch contribution for that given sector at least partly during passage of the sector.

The lengths and/or chords and/or pitches of wind turbine or propeller blades are individually established, so that a first blade can have a length/chord/pitch that is different at a given time to the length/chord/pitch of a second blade to optimize performance and/or to equalize stresses on the system.

A wind turbine system comprising a nacelle mounted on a tower, a rotor having a plurality of blades and a boundary layer control system configured to control airflow through blade surface openings in each of the blades. The wind turbine system includes a control system configured to perform at least one of the following: to monitor an operational speed parameter of the wind turbine, and to activate the boundary layer control system if it is determined that the 1 operational speed parameter exceeds a predetermined speed parameter threshold; to monitor tower motion and to activate the boundary layer control system based on a determination of excessive tower motion; to monitor for a wind turbine shutdown condition, and to activate the boundary layer control system if it is determined that a wind turbine shutdown condition has been identified; and to monitor the aerodynamic loads on the blades, and to activate the boundary layer control system also based on a determination of excessive blade loads. The system thereby provides an approach to activating and deactivating the boundary layer control system to reduce operational risk to the wind turbine.

Described embodiments include a wind turbine system. In this embodiment, the system includes a rotor blade attached to a rotor hub drivingly coupled to an electric generator. The system includes a controllable feature configured to decrease a noise generated by the rotor blade if activated. The system includes a sensor configured to detect an atmospheric variation approaching the rotor blade. The system includes a noise manager circuit configured to authorize a noise mitigation measure responsive to the detected atmospheric variation. The system includes a control circuit configured to activate the controllable feature in response to the authorized noise mitigation measure. In an embodiment, the system includes a support structure positioning the rotor hub a sufficient distance above the ground to allow rotation of the rotor blade about the rotor hub without contacting the ground.

In the case of wind turbines 10, deviations from the optimum operating state result in output losses. This applies, in particular, to angular deviations 62 in the alignment of the nacelle 14, and therefore of the rotor axis 28, relative to the wind direction 60. The invention relates to a wind turbine 10, and to a method for operating such a wind turbine, which wind turbine and method enable the nacelle 14 to be corrected, in respect of the wind direction, both on the basis of wind power and by motor.

This application provides a control method and device for avoiding run-away, and a wind turbine. The method may include: determining whether a brake system of the wind turbine has failed; if the brake system has failed, calculating an initial crosswind position based on a current wind direction angle, and enabling a yaw system of the wind turbine to perform a crosswind operation based on the initial crosswind position; performing a long-period and short-period filter processing on wind direction data acquired during a crosswind process to obtain an average and instantaneous wind direction angle respectively; determining whether a wind direction has a sudden change based on the average and instantaneous wind direction angle; and if the wind direction has a sudden change, calculating a new crosswind position based on the average wind direction angle, and enabling the yaw system to perform a crosswind operation based on the new crosswind position.

The lengths and/or chords and/or pitches of wind turbine or propeller blades are individually established, so that a first blade can have a length/chord/pitch that is different at a given time to the length/chord/pitch of a second blade to optimize performance and/or to equalize stresses on the system.

A method for controlling a wind power installation, wherein the wind power installation has a rotor with a plurality of rotor blades, the rotor blades are adjustable in their blade angle, each rotor blade is activatable individually, for the individual activation, in each case a total adjustment rate R.sub.of which indicates an intended speed of change of the respective blade angle is predetermined, a collective blade angle identical for all of the rotor blades is provided, a collective adjustment rate identical for all of the rotor blades describes an intended speed of change of the collective blade angle, an individual offset angle which indicates a value by which the blade angle is intended to deviate from the collective blade angle is predetermined for each rotor blade, an individual feed forward control adjustment rate which indicates an adjustment rate which is provided for reaching the offset angle is determined for each rotor blade from the individual offset angle, an individual offset deviation is determined for each rotor blade depending on a comparison of the individual offset angle and a detected blade angle of the rotor blade, and the total adjustment rate of each rotor blade is determined depending on the collective blade angle and/or the collective adjustment rate, the individual feed forward control adjustment rate, and the individual offset deviation.