Turbulence-based load alleviation control for wind turbine in extreme turbulence situation

Abstract: The extreme loads experienced by the wind turbine in the extreme wind events are critical for the evaluation of structural reliability. Hence, the load alleviation control methods need to be designed and deployed to reduce the adverse effects of extreme wind events. This work demonstrates that the extreme loads are highly correlated to wind conditions such as turbulence-induced wind shears. Based on this insight, this work proposes a turbulence-based load alleviation control strategy for adapting the controller to changes in wind condition. The estimation of the rotor averaged wind shear based on the rotor loads is illustrated, and is herein used to statistically characterize the extreme wind events for control purpose. To demonstrates the benefits, simulations are carried out using high-fidelity aero-elastic tool and the DTU 10 MW reference turbine in normal and extreme turbulence wind conditions. The results indicate that the proposed method can effectively decrease the exceedance probability of the extreme loads. Meanwhile, the method can minimize the loss of annual energy production in normal operating condition.