A modular wind turbine system and a method of use thereof are provided. The system comprises: a mounting frame; a fixed toroidal support structure attached to the mounting frame, the toroidal support structure having a concave portion and a convex portion; a wind turbine located proximal to the concave portion of the toroidal support structure, wherein the wind turbine travels about at least a portion of the concave portion of the toroidal support structure; and a first baffle, wherein the first baffle extends about the portion of the concave portion of the toroidal support structure about which the first turbine travels, wherein the baffle surrounds a portion of the wind turbine opposite the fixed toroidal support structure, and wherein the baffle includes at least one component selectively variably adjustable so as to vary the force, direction, or disruption of flow of fluid thereby, relative to the wind turbine.

A clearance monitoring system of a wind turbine, and a monitoring method and device are provided. The clearance monitoring system includes a processor and a millimeter wave radar in communication connection to the processor. The millimeter wave radar is installed on a left side portion of a nacelle of the wind turbine. The millimeter wave radar points to a movement area of the impeller and is used for monitoring movement data of each blade on the impeller in the movement area. The processor is used to receive the movement data. According to the movement data, blade clearance between each blade and a tower of the wind turbine is determined.

A radar system for a wind turbine is provided. The radar system comprises a first radar unit (42) and a control unit (41) arranged to receive an output from the radar unit, the control unit comprising a central processing unit. The central processing unit is configured to perform a first function of determining at least one property of aircraft within a monitoring zone in the vicinity of the wind turbine and controlling a warning device to output a warning signal to detected aircraft based on the determined property; and perform a second function of determining at least one parameter of prevailing weather in the vicinity of the wind turbine. A corresponding method is also provided.

A wind turbine has an object position and/or speed detection device including: at least one leaky feeder, at least one electromagnetic transmitter connected to the least one leaky feeder for transmitting a first electromagnetic signal along the at least one leaky feeder towards a target object, whose position is to be detected, at least one electromagnetic receiver connected to the least one leaky feeder for receiving from the at least one leaky feeder a second electromagnetic signal, the second electromagnetic signal reflected from the target object when the first electromagnetic signal hits the target object, a processing unit connected to the electromagnetic transmitter and the electromagnetic receiver and configured to analyze the first electromagnetic signal and the second electromagnetic signal for determining the position and/or speed and/or direction and/or the size of the target object.

Provided is an apparatus for detecting properties of a rotor blade of a wind turbine the apparatus including: at least one leaky feeder configured to be arranged around the tower, an electromagnetic transmitter connected to the at least one leaky feeder and configured for transmitting a first electromagnetic signal along the at least one leaky feeder, a reflector for diverting and/or focusing the first electromagnetic signal in a predetermined direction, thereby forming a reflected first electromagnetic signal, an electromagnetic receiver connected to the at least one leaky feeder and configured for receiving a second electromagnetic signal from the at least one leaky feeder, the second electromagnetic signal being reflected from the rotor blade, and a processing unit connected to the electromagnetic transmitter and the electromagnetic receiver and configured to determine the properties of the rotor blade by analysing the first electromagnetic signal and the second electromagnetic signal.

A system for detecting rotor blade position and/or rotor blade speed during operation of a wind turbine (1) is provided, the wind turbine (1) including a tower (2) and at least one rotor blade (4). The system comprises a leaky feeder arrangement (10) configured to be mounted at the tower (2) of the wind turbine (1), an RF unit (20) coupled to the leaky feeder arrangement (10) and configured to supply a first radar signal (100) to the leaky feeder arrangement (10) and to receive a second radar signal (200) from the leaky feeder arrangement (10), wherein the second radar signal (200) is reflected from the rotor blade (4) when the first radar signal (100) hits the rotor blade (4), a processing unit (30), and an optical link arrangement (40) interconnecting the processing unit (30) and the RF unit (20). The processing unit (30) is configured to analyse a first signal corresponding to the first radar signal (100) and a second signal corresponding to the second radar signal (200) in order to determine the position and/or the speed of the rotor blade (4). A wind park and a method are also provided.

An apparatus including a leaky feeder arrangement including a plurality of parallel leaky feeders, a transmitter coupled to the leaky feeder arrangement and configured to supply individual first radar signals to a group of leaky feeders in the leaky feeder arrangement, the first radar signals being configured to form a first radar signal beam in a predetermined direction relative to the leaky feeder arrangement, a receiver coupled to the leaky feeder arrangement and configured to receive a second radar signal from the leaky feeder arrangement, wherein the second radar signal is reflected from the target object when the first radar signal beam hits the target object, and a processing unit configured to analyse a first signal corresponding to the first radar signals and a second signal corresponding to the second radar signal to determine the properties of the moving object. A wind turbine and a method are also provided.

The present invention relates to a method for operating a wind turbine (1). The wind turbine (1) comprises one or more wind turbine blades (5), each wind turbine blade (5) being connected to a blade carrying structure (4) mounted on a hub (3), via a hinge (6) at a hinge position of the wind turbine blade (5), each wind turbine blade (5) thereby being arranged to perform pivot movements relative to the blade carrying structure (4) between a minimum pivot angle and a maximum pivot angle. The method comprises the steps of detecting an airborne object entering a predefined zone around the wind turbine (1), comparing a current tip height (H) of the wind turbine (1) to a maximum tip height value, the maximum tip height value representing a maximum allowable tip height under currently prevailing conditions. In the case that the current tip height (H) exceeds the maximum tip height value, a pivot angle (P) of wind turbine blades (5) is adjusted in order to decrease the tip height (H) of the wind turbine (1) to a value below the maximum tip height value.

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.

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed towards a system and methods for generating three dimensional (3D) images with increased composite vertical field of view and composite resolution for a spinning three-dimensional sensor, based on actuating the sensor to generate a plurality of sensor axis orientations as a function of rotation of the actuator. The output data from the sensor, such as a spinning LIDAR, is transformable as a function of the actuator angle to generate three dimensional imagery.