The present invention relates to control of wind turbines based on predicted operational trajectories. A control system for a wind turbine is described where a main controller calculating one or more predicted operational trajectories and a safety controller validates at least one of the one or more predicted operational trajectories. The control system controls the wind turbine with the predicted control trajectory if the validation is valid, and controls the wind turbine with a safe-mode control trajectory if the validation is invalid. In an embodiment, the main controller is implemented as a receding horizon controller, e.g. in the form of a model predictive controller (MPC).

The invention relates to wind turbines, particularly to controlling a wind turbine during a communication loss between the wind turbine and the power plant controller. In case of communication loss, the wind turbine enters a fallback operation mode, wherein the wind turbine is ramping the power production of the wind turbine to a predefined fallback set point.

A yaw system of a wind turbine having contingency autonomous control capabilities includes a plurality of yaw system components configured to change an angle of a nacelle of the wind turbine relative to an incoming wind direction. The plurality of yaw system components includes an auxiliary power supply comprising a brake power control device, a braking unit coupled to the brake power control device, at least two energy storage devices coupled to the braking unit, a plurality of yaw drive mechanisms communicatively coupled to the auxiliary power supply via a communication link, and a controller configured to implement a protective control strategy for the yaw system in response to one of the yaw system components experiencing a failure. Each of the yaw drive mechanisms includes a yaw power control device.

A method of diagnosing a wind turbine power generating apparatus includes: an operation step of operating a pitch actuator corresponding to one of a plurality of wind turbine blades of the wind turbine power generating apparatus, without operating a pitch actuator corresponding to each of the wind turbine blades other than the one of the plurality of wind turbine blades; and a measurement step of measuring a response value indicating a response to operation of the pitch actuator corresponding to the one of the plurality of wind turbine blades. The operation step and the measurement step are performed repeatedly for each of the plurality of wind turbine blades, and the response value is obtained as data for health check of a blade pitch mechanism of the wind turbine power generating apparatus.

The present disclosure is directed to a system for controlling a yaw drive of a wind turbine when a native yaw drive control system is non-operational. The system includes an external sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a wind condition experienced by the wind turbine. The system also includes an external controller communicatively coupled to the external sensor. The external controller is configured to control the yaw drive based on measurement signals received from the external sensor. The external sensor and the external controller are electrically isolated from the native yaw drive control system.

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for autonomous yaw control of a wind turbine. The method includes measuring, via a wind sensor, one or more wind conditions near the wind turbine. Another step includes receiving, via a distributed inputs and outputs (I/O) module, the one or more wind conditions from the wind sensor. The method also includes determining, via the distributed I/O module, a control signal for a yaw drive mechanism of the wind turbine as a function of the one or more wind conditions. Further, the yaw drive mechanism is configured to modify an orientation of a nacelle of the wind turbine. Thus, the method also includes controlling, via the distributed I/O module, the yaw drive mechanism based on the control signal.

A method for estimating consumed battery life of at least one battery of a pitch drive mechanism of a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes monitoring, via at least one sensor, an actual temperature of the battery over a predetermined time period. The method also includes storing, via a turbine controller, the monitored actual temperatures of the battery during the predetermined time period. Further, the method includes determining, via the turbine controller, the consumed battery life as a function of the monitored actual temperatures.

A method for testing the condition of a backup power supply of an axis in a wind turbine, wherein the backup power supply has an associated voltage, the method comprising: electrically isolating the axis of the wind turbine from a grid power supply; discharging the backup power supply for a first period of time at a first predefined current; measuring a first value of the voltage; operating the axis using the backup power supply until the voltage reaches a predefined second value; discharging the backup power supply for a second period of time at a second predefined current; measuring a third value of the voltage; and calculating a parameter based on at least the first and third values, wherein the parameter is characteristic of the condition of the backup power supply.

The invention relates to a power management system for one or more wind turbines where the one or more wind turbines are connected to a power supply with a limited capacity for providing power to a number of power consuming units, such as to an emergency power supply arranged for providing power in a grid loss situation. The power management system comprises a dispatcher connected to the power supply to access an available capacity of the power supply, and a requester connected to at least one power consuming unit, the requester being arranged to control the power consumption of the power consuming unit by either allows or deny the power consuming unit to consume power.

A wind turbine with at least one rotor blade and at least one pith drive for turning the at least one rotor blade, the wind turbine comprising a controller which analyses the wind turbine if a first error situation or a second error situation occurs and wherein the controller is adapted to react to the first error situation in absence of a second error situation with a first error procedure, to a second error situation in absence of the first error situation with a second error procedure, and to an error situation where the first error and the second error occur at the same time with a third error procedure that is different to the first error procedure and to the second error procedure.