Provided is a method for controlling an electric generator of a wind turbine. The method includes varying an amplitude and/or phase angle of an harmonic current of said electric generator, while said electric generator is rotating, in particular at a known condition, measuring a signal indicative of generator vibration after and/or during varying said amplitude and/or phase angle, repeating said varying and said measuring until a predetermined requirement is met, evaluating an operating point for said electric generator by using said measured signals indicative of generator vibration in order to reduce a ripple torque of said generator, and controlling a current, in particular said harmonic current, of said electric generator in order to meet said operating point.

A method and apparatus for inspecting a wind turbine blade. The method includes: acquiring a sound signal generated by an impingement of wind on the wind turbine blade using a sound acquisition device; generating a frequency spectrogram corresponding to the sound signal; and obtaining a damage recognition result of the wind turbine blade from the frequency spectrogram by performing image recognition on the frequency spectrogram based on a damage recognition model. With the method, a damage type of the wind turbine blade is accurately recognized based on the frequency spectrogram without manual inspection. Therefore, human resources are saved. In addition, the health state of the wind turbine blade can be monitored in real time.

An acoustic monitoring system and method for the health status of an offshore wind turbine and an ocean wave are provided. The acoustic monitoring system includes a first laser transmitter, a second laser transmitter, a telephoto camera provided at a hub, a vibration detection sensor provided on a tower of a wind turbine, and four acoustic detection sensors arranged at an interval of 90° along the circumference of the tower. The first and second laser transmitters are arranged at the bottom of a nacelle of the wind turbine and emit laser lights vertically downward. The first laser transmitter, the second laser transmitter, the telephoto camera, the vibration detection sensor, and the acoustic detection sensors are connected to a data acquisition and conversion module through a transmission module. The acoustic monitoring system combines laser light detection with acoustic signal feature detection to improve stability and safety of the offshore wind turbine.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media configured to monitor wind turbines and detect damage to one or more components of the wind turbines, such as damage to the blades. The techniques disclosed herein may utilize sensors (e.g., acoustic sensors) disposed within air cavities of one or more blades of the wind turbines to detect acoustic signals or acoustic energy caused by corrosive impacts (e.g., wind, dust, rain, hail, lightning, etc.) to the wind turbine. Information associated with the acoustic signals may be provided to and received by a processor used to determine whether one or more of the blades of the wind turbines have been damaged. The techniques disclosed herein may facilitate real-time or near-real-time monitoring of wind turbines for damage, which may enable more efficient operation and maintenance of wind turbines.

A self-contained monitor array for measuring at least one type of electromagnetic emission and at least one type of mechanical wave emission from a marine-based and/or terrestrial human activity or installation such as alternate energy sources. A multi-modal monitor system includes at least two such arrays, at least one clock, and at least one data storage unit. The monitor system is employed at the site of a turbine installation to measure at least one type of emission generated by the turbine and may comprise a controller to compare the emission signals with pre-determined acceptable value ranges and adjust the performance of the turbine accordingly.

A wind turbine including: at least a rotor blade including an aerodynamic device for influencing the airflow flowing from the leading edge section of the rotor blade to the trailing edge section of the rotor blade, wherein the aerodynamic device is mounted at a surface of the rotor blade, an actuator of the aerodynamic device for actuating the aerodynamic device at least between a first protruded configuration and a second retracted configuration, a pressure supply system for operating the actuator by means of a pressurized fluid, an acoustic receiver for measuring an acoustic signal in the pressure supply system, and a diagnostic unit connected to the acoustic receiver and configured for deriving an operative status of the aerodynamic device based on the acoustic signal, is provided.

A dynamic adaptive mooring system for wave energy converters (WEC) is disclosed that has a mooring configuration that has a set of fixed mooring lines, and a set of movable mooring lines. When an incoming wave train interacts with the fixed WECs, a set of wave interference points that have higher wave amplitudes than the incoming wave train are formed downstream of the fixed WECs. The movable WECs are then positioned at the interface points to optimize wave energy transfer.

A wind turbine including: at least a rotor blade including an aerodynamic device for influencing the airflow flowing from the leading edge section of the rotor blade to the trailing edge section of the rotor blade, wherein the aerodynamic device is mounted at a surface of the rotor blade, an actuator of the aerodynamic device for actuating the aerodynamic device at least between a first protruded configuration and a second retracted configuration, a pressure supply system for operating the actuator by means of a pressurized fluid, an acoustic receiver for measuring an acoustic signal in the pressure supply system, and a diagnostic unit connected to the acoustic receiver and configured for deriving an operative status of the aerodynamic device based on the acoustic signal, is provided.

A dynamic adaptive mooring system for wave energy converters (WEC) is disclosed that has a mooring configuration that has a set of fixed mooring lines, and a set of movable mooring lines. When an incoming wave train interacts with the fixed WECs, a set of wave interference points that have higher wave amplitudes than the incoming wave train are formed downstream of the fixed WECs. The movable WECs are then positioned at the interface points to optimize wave energy transfer.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media configured to monitor wind turbines and detect damage to one or more components of the wind turbines, such as damage to the blades. The techniques disclosed herein may utilize sensors (e.g., acoustic sensors) disposed within air cavities of one or more blades of the wind turbines to detect acoustic signals or acoustic energy caused by corrosive impacts (e.g., wind, dust, rain, hail, lightning, etc.) to the wind turbine. Information associated with the acoustic signals may be provided to and received by a processor used to determine whether one or more of the blades of the wind turbines have been damaged. The techniques disclosed herein may facilitate real-time or near-real-time monitoring of wind turbines for damage, which may enable more efficient operation and maintenance of wind turbines.