Systems and methods for controlling and monitoring agricultural equipment. The system includes a monitoring module that communicates with a remote user device to remotely turn a wind machine on or off.

A method of retrofitting a wind turbine having a tower and a first energy generating unit with a second energy generation unit is disclosed. The wind turbine has been operated for a first period of time at a first tower life rate and has a first tower life expectancy design value. The method includes determining the tower life of the wind turbine tower used during the first period of time; determining the remaining tower life of the wind turbine tower; replacing the first energy generating unit with the second energy generating unit; and operating the retrofitted wind turbine at a second tower life rate less than the first tower life rate so as to extend the life expectancy value of the tower beyond the first tower life expectancy design value.

A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine to protect the wind turbine from anomalous operations. Accordingly, in response to receiving data indicative of an anomalous operational event of the wind turbine, the controller initiates an enhanced braking mode for the wind turbine. The enhanced braking mode is characterized by operating the generator at a torque setpoint that generates maximum available torque for a given set of operating conditions. Additionally, the torque setpoint is in excess of a nominal torque limit for the generator.

An automated method to determine modal characteristics of a wind turbine tower at an offshore location in a continuous manner includes reading one or more sensor data signals, prefiltering the one or more sensor data signals to divide the signals into a plurality of time segments, obtaining a frequency domain representation of each of the plurality of time segments by computing a Power Spectral Density (PSD) of each of the time segments to identify one or more frequency peaks in each of the time segments, assigning a probability to each of the frequency peaks in the PSD of each of the time segments, combining all assigned probabilities and determining the likelihood of the one or more frequency peaks. Also disclosed is an offshore wind turbine tower having a turbine control system utilizing the automated method to determine modal characteristics of the wind turbine.

A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine in response to a blade liberation event. Accordingly, estimated response signatures for the wind turbine are determined. Sensor data indicative of at least two actual response signatures of components of the wind turbine to a rotor loading are collected. The actual response signatures are compared to the estimated response signatures. The two or more actual response signatures meeting or exceeding the estimated response signatures is indicative of a blade liberation event. In response to detecting the blade liberation event, a rapid shutdown control logic is initiated to decelerate the rotor at a rate which exceeds a nominal deceleration rate of the rotor.

A flywheel is attached to a shaft of a turbine. As the shaft rotates, the flywheel swings outwards away from the shaft and regulates the angular velocity of the rotating shaft. In an embodiment, there are multiple flywheels attached to the shaft. In another embodiment there is a first flywheel that controls a second flywheel. In another embodiment, the flywheel has adjustable or centrifugal displacement of counterbalanced masses for effective rotational diameter with effective rotational balance. In another embodiment, a small pilot centrifugal displacement flywheel may control a clutch by rotational velocity and may include a hysteresis control. An example of a clutch may limit that degree to which the arms of the flywheel may be extended and/or retracted. In another embodiment, a small pilot centrifugal displacement flywheel controls the hysteresis of a centrifugal flywheel displacement.

A wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a wind rotor and a generator, mechanically coupled to the wind rotor. The wind turbine is configured to operate in a first mode of operation and in a second mode of operation, wherein, in the second mode of operation, the wind rotor is oriented in an opposite direction relative to a wind direction compared with the first mode of operation. The generator of the wind turbine is configured to generate power both in the first mode of operation and in the second mode of operation. Furthermore, a corresponding method of operating a wind turbine is provided.

The invention provides a method for determining angular position of a generator shaft of a wind turbine. The method includes receiving a position signal, from an encoder position sensor of the wind turbine, indicative of an angular position of the generator shaft. The method includes determining a compensation signal to compensate for a disturbance signal in the received position signal indicative of an imperfection associated with the encoder position sensor. The method includes modifying the position signal by applying the determined compensation signal to the received position signal to determine angular position.

A control arrangement of a wind turbine includes a watchdog including a reset module and a trigger module, wherein the watchdog reset module is configured to perform an internal reset when a sign-of-life signal is received from a remote communication system within a predetermined time limit, and wherein the watchdog trigger module is configured to issue a watchdog trigger when the predetermined time limit is exceeded; a sensor arrangement including a number of sensors configured to observe local parameters and to report local sensor data; and a wind turbine controller that initiates a local control sequence in response to the watchdog trigger, which local control sequence is configured to switch between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation on the basis of the local sensor data. A method of operating a wind turbine is further provided.

A controller for a wind turbine including a rotor and a nacelle arranged on a tower is provided, the tower having a fundamental frequency close to or below a rated rotational frequency of the rotor. The controller includes a rotor speed control module including a first linear time invariant control system adapted to generate a first pitch control signal based on a rotor speed error signal, a tower damping module including a second linear time invariant control system adapted to generate a second pitch control signal based on a nacelle acceleration signal, and an output module adapted to output a pitch control signal based on the first pitch control signal and the second pitch control signal. Furthermore, a wind turbine and a method of controlling a wind turbine is provided.