Real-time monitoring and structural control of a wind turbine using a rocking system

Abstract

The design of a semi-active (SA) control system to mitigate wind induced structural demand to high wind turbine towers is discussed herein. A variable restraint at the base, able to modify in real time its mechanical properties according to the instantaneous response of the tower, is proposed. A special control algorithm has been properly designed to drive MR dampers. It requires the tower is equipped with sensors for measurement of displacements and stresses. The real-time monitoring of the tower response is needed in order to make the SA system works in the sense of mitigating the structural demand against wind gust. A finite element model of a wind turbine model has been adopted to perform several numerical simulations. On the basis of these results, the optimal calibration of the controller has been found as the one allows to achieve different and conflicting, structural goals.