The present invention provides improved methods, apparatus, and manufacture for an Archimedes Screw using a new blade design to increase the volume of water raised or lowered by about 9%-18%. The invention, in part alters the shape of the blades within the screw from a helicoid shape to a new shape called a “makroid” by the inventor. A helicoid blade in an Archimedes Screw has been used since antiquity and has not changed since then, limiting the efficiency. The makroid shape allows a greater quantity of water to be contained within the screw.

The invention relates to a method for acquisition and modelling of an incident wind field by a LiDAR sensor. Acquisition and modelling include a step of estimating the wind amplitudes and directions for a set of discretized points, and a step of incident wind field reconstruction in three dimensions and in real time. The invention also relates to a method of controlling and/or monitoring a wind turbine equipped with such a LiDAR sensor from the incident wind field reconstructed in three dimensions and in real time.

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.

The invention relates to a method for controlling power generation of a power plant which comprises power generating units including a wind turbine. At least one power unit is operated in a non-controlled mode with a non-curtailed power set-point, and at least one other power unit is operated in a controlled mode with a curtailed power set-point. Positive capabilities are determined as the difference between the available power and the curtailed power production. The total positive capability is determined as the sum of positive capabilities. The proportion of the power units intended to be operated in the non-controlled mode is determined as a function of the total positive capability. Dependent on the difference between the determined proportion and an actual proportion the status from non-controlled mode to controlled mode, or vice versa, of one or more of the power units is changed.

A method for wind turbine tower damping is disclosed, as well as an associated controller and wind turbine. The method comprises generating, using at least a first sensor signal, a first pitch reference signal for one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine during partial load operation. The method further comprises determining, using at least a second sensor signal, dynamic state information for a tower of the wind turbine. The method further comprises generating a second pitch reference signal by adapting the first pitch reference signal using the dynamic state information. The method further comprises selecting a maximum pitch reference signal from the second pitch reference signal and a saturation pitch reference signal. The method further comprises communicating the maximum pitch reference signal to control a pitch of the one or more rotor blades.

A method for establishing operating loads, in particular wind loads, for tower structures, in particular for tower structures for wind power installations is provided. Provided is a method for designing a tower structure, in particular a tower structure for a wind power installation, a method for determining the service life of a tower structure, in particular a tower structure for a wind power installation, and a tower structure, in particular a tower structure for a wind power installation, and a wind power installation. The method for establishing operating loads for tower structures comprises establishing a load parameter in a load direction, establishing a load direction occurrence distribution, establishing a load parameter modified by the load direction distribution.

The invention relates to a method for controlling power generation of a power plant which comprises power generating units including a wind turbine. At least one power unit is operated in a non-controlled mode with a non-curtailed power set-point, and at least one other power unit is operated in a controlled mode with a curtailed power set-point. Positive capabilities are determined as the difference between the available power and the curtailed power production. The total positive capability is determined as the sum of positive capabilities. The proportion of the power units intended to be operated in the non-controlled mode is determined as a function of the total positive capability. Dependent on the difference between the determined proportion and an actual proportion the status from non-controlled mode to controlled mode, or vice versa, of one or more of the power units is changed.

A method for wind turbine tower damping is disclosed, as well as an associated controller and wind turbine. The method comprises generating, using at least a first sensor signal, a first pitch reference signal for one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine during partial load operation. The method further comprises determining, using at least a second sensor signal, dynamic state information for a tower of the wind turbine. The method further comprises generating a second pitch reference signal by adapting the first pitch reference signal using the dynamic state information. The method further comprises selecting a maximum pitch reference signal from the second pitch reference signal and a saturation pitch reference signal. The method further comprises communicating the maximum pitch reference signal to control a pitch of the one or more rotor blades.

The object of the invention relates to a method for acquisition and modelling of an incident wind field by a LiDAR sensor. Acquisition and modelling include a step of estimating the wind amplitudes and directions for a set of discretized points, and a step of incident wind field reconstruction in three dimensions and in real time. The invention also relates to a method of controlling and/or monitoring a wind turbine equipped with such a LiDAR sensor from the incident wind field reconstructed in three dimensions and in real time.

The present disclosure relates to methods (100, 200) for ramping up the power output of a wind turbine (10). A method (100) comprises increasing (110) electric power output from an initial power value (61) at a first power ramp rate (63); and when reaching an intermediate power value (69), increasing (120) the electric power output to a target power value (59) at a second power ramp rate (67) different from the first power ramp rate (63). The intermediate power value (69) is the sum of the initial power value (61) and a predetermined power difference (71).