Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling a wind turbine, including predicting behaviour of one or more wind turbine components such as a wind turbine tower over a prediction horizon using a wind turbine model that describes dynamics of the one or more wind turbine components or states. The method includes determining behavioural constraints associated with operation of the wind turbine, wherein the behavioural constraints are based on operational parameters of the wind turbine such as operating conditions, e.g. wind speed. The method includes using the predicted behaviour of the one or more wind turbine components in a cost function, and optimising the cost function subject to the determined behavioural constraints to determine at least one control output, such as blade pitch control or generator speed control, for controlling operation of the wind turbine.

Abstract: The invention relates to control of a wind turbine to address varying drivetrain loading. This is obtained by determining a modification signal to be set as a control signal. A signal indicative of a speed of the electrical generator a signal indicative of a requested output power are received. The signal indicative of a speed is filtering to isolate frequencies in a selected disturbance frequency band to generate a disturbance signal. The disturbance signal is phase shifted and combined with a requested output power to obtain the modification signal.

Abstract: A wind turbine control unit includes an upsampling module that receives a first control signal that includes a current control sample value and a predicted control trajectory. The upsampling module also calculates a second control signal in dependence on the current control sample value and the predicted control trajectory. The second control signal has a higher frequency than the first control signal. The upsampling module further outputs the second control signal for controlling an actuator.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling rotor speed of a wind turbine. One technique includes defining a system model describing resonance dynamics of a wind turbine component, such as a wind turbine tower, where the system model has a nonlinear input term, e.g. a periodic forcing term. A transform is applied to the system model to obtain a transformed model for response oscillation amplitude of the wind turbine component, where the transformed model has a linear input term. A wind turbine model describing dynamics of the wind turbine is then defined, and includes the transformed model. A model-based control algorithm, e.g. model predictive control, is applied using the wind turbine model to determine at least one control output, e.g. generator torque, and the control output is used to control rotor speed of the wind turbine.

Abstract: A method of controlling a wind power plant including an energy storage device, the wind power plant being connected to a power grid and comprising one or more wind turbine generators that produce electrical power for delivery to the power grid, the method comprising: processing input data related to one or more inputs to the wind power plant to determine a probability forecast for each input; and controlling charging and discharging of the energy storage device in accordance with each probability forecast and a prescribed probability of violating one or more grid requirements.

Abstract: A method of controlling pitch of individual blades in a wind turbine is described, together with a suitable controller. Wind speed is determined as a function of azimuthal angle. Wind speed is then predicted for individual blades over a prediction horizon using this determination of wind speed as a function of azimuthal angle. The predicted wind speed for each individual blade is used in a performance function, which is optimized to control individual blade pitches.

Abstract: Controlling a wind turbine including measuring a wind speed for a location upwind of a wind turbine. Using the measured wind speed, a changed steady-state deflection of a structure of the wind turbine is predicted. The predicted changed steady-state deflection corresponds to a time when wind from the location is incident on the wind turbine. Oscillations of the structure are damped relative to the changed steady-state deflection. By damping the oscillations relative to the changed steady-state deflection, movements of the structure may be minimized when there is no predicted change in steady-state deflection, while permitting more rapid movements during transitions from one steady-state deflection to the predicted steady-state deflection, allowing more of the available power to be captured by the wind turbine.

Abstract: A method of controlling a wind power plant including an energy storage device, the wind power plant being connected to a power grid and comprising one or more wind turbine generators that produce electrical power for delivery to the power grid, the method comprising: processing grid data related to the power grid to determine a probability forecast for a future state of the grid; and controlling charging and discharging of the energy storage device in accordance with the probability forecast.

Abstract: A control system and method of control are disclosed. A model predictive control, MPC, unit is configured to determine a control signal for controlling an operation of the wind turbine based at least in part on a cost function comprising a wear cost relating to one or more types of wear of the winding turbine, and a corresponding cost weighting, which defines a relative weighting of the wear cost in the cost function. A weighting determination unit is configured to receive a reference signal comprising a target wear, receive a feedback signal comprising a wear measure of the wind turbine, and determine, based at least in part on a difference between the target wear and the wear measure, a weighting adjustment for at least part of the cost weighting of the cost function. The MPC unit then sets the cost weighting based at least in part on the weighting adjustment.

Abstract: A wind turbine including yaw control comprising a controller receiving an input signal, and providing an output control signal to a yaw actuator. The input signal to the controller is based on: a first feedback signal that is indicative of the relative wind direction determined with respect to the wind turbine, wherein the first feedback signal is filtered with a first low pass filter; and a second feedback signal that is indicative of the activity of the yaw actuator. The control technique of the invention significantly improves the ability of a yaw system to maintain a zero degree yaw error during steady state wind conditions, or in other words to maintain an accurate heading of the nacelle pointing into the wind, as well as reducing the maximum yaw error experienced during yaw system activation.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling a wind turbine. The method predicts behaviour of the wind turbine components for the time stages over a prediction horizon using a wind turbine model describing dynamics of the wind turbine, where the time stages include a first set of time stages from an initial time stage and a second set of time stages subsequent to the first set. The method determines control outputs, e.g. individual blade pitch, for time stages based on the predicted behaviour. The method then transmits a control signal to implement only the control outputs for each of the second set of time stages so as to control the wind turbine. Advantageously, the invention reduces both average and peak computational loads relative to standard predictive control algorithms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a power plant for reducing spectral disturbances in an electrical grid being operative connected to the power plant, the power plant comprising a plant controller, at least one wind turbine and at least one auxiliary energy source, wherein the at least one wind turbine comprises a rotor adapted to drive a power generator via a shaft, wherein the generator is connectable with the electrical grid, and at least one damping controller configured to compensate structural oscillations of the wind turbine by controlling a torque on the shaft, wherein the at least one damping controller is capable of setting a limit of a control action on the shaft, the method comprising the steps of determining disturbance information for the power plant in the form of an electrical disturbance at a point of measurement electrically connected to the power plant, determining set-points for the at least one auxiliary energy source based on the determined disturbance information

Abstract: A main computing system maintains and optimizes a predictive control model for an energy system, wherein the main computing system receives state information for the energy system, optimizes the predictive control model, and generates control rules for control of the energy system. The one or more local computing systems, each have a local memory for storing control rules for controlling the associated local state. The main computing system receives local state information and updates control rules, wherein the updated control rules comprise a subset of the control rules generated by the main computing system selected to be appropriate to the local state information received at the main computing system.

Abstract: Wind turbine control based on optimizing and non-optimizing controller routines is disclosed. A first controller implements a model predictive control (MPC) routine for calculating a predicted first control value. A second controller implements a non-optimizing control routine for calculating a second control value. An actuator controller unit determines an actuator control signal by combining the predicted first control value and the second control value.

Abstract: A controller for controlling the operation of a power plant, the power plant comprising a wind turbine and a solar power generator, the controller comprising: an input arranged to receive an input signal indicative of an operating parameter of the solar power generator; a shadow detection module arranged to monitor the operating parameter and to detect a shadow at least partially shading the solar power generator, the detected shadow being caused by a blade of the wind turbine; a shadow prediction module arranged to predict at least one subsequent blade shadow in dependence on the detected blade shadow; a command module arranged to determine a command signal for controlling the solar power generator based on the blade shadow prediction; and an output arranged to output the command signal to the solar power generator.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to controlling an operation of a wind turbine. A first plurality of extreme load measures indicative of extreme loads experienced by at least part of the wind turbine during the first period of time are determined and a load probability characteristic is then determined based on a statistical analysis of the distribution of the first plurality of extreme load measures. A control strategy for controlling the operation of the wind turbine is then modified based at least in part on a comparison of the load probability characteristic and a design load limit and the wind turbine is then subsequently controlled in accordance with the modified control strategy for a second period of time.

Abstract: A wind turbine control unit includes an upsampling module that receives a first control signal that includes a current control sample value and a predicted control trajectory. The upsampling module also calculates a second control signal in dependence on the current control sample value and the predicted control trajectory. The second control signal has a higher frequency than the first control signal. The upsampling module further outputs the second control signal for controlling an actuator.

Abstract: A wind turbine system comprising a nacelle mounted on a tower, a rotor having a plurality of blades and a boundary layer control system configured to control airflow through blade surface openings in each of the blades. The wind turbine system includes a control system configured to: monitor an operational speed parameter of the wind turbine, and activate the boundary layer control system if it is determined that the operational speed parameter exceeds a predetermined speed parameter threshold; monitor tower motion and to activate the boundary layer control system based on a determination of excessive tower motion; monitor for a wind turbine shutdown condition, activate the boundary layer control system if it is determined that the shutdown condition has been identified; monitor the aerodynamic loads on the blades, and activate the boundary layer control system based on a determination of excessive blade loads.

Abstract: The present invention relates to control of wind turbines in a situation where a fault condition is detected. Control of a wind turbine is described where a control trajectory and a safe-mode trajectory are calculated based on the current operational state of the wind turbine. If the fault condition is detected the wind turbine is controlled using the safe-mode trajectory, otherwise, the normal operation of the wind turbine is continued where the wind turbine is controlled using the control trajectory.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling a wind turbine, including predicting behaviour of one or more wind turbine components such as a wind turbine tower over a prediction horizon using a wind turbine model that describes dynamics of the one or more wind turbine components or states. The method includes determining behavioural constraints associated with operation of the wind turbine, wherein the behavioural constraints are based on operational parameters of the wind turbine such as operating conditions, e.g. wind speed. The method includes using the predicted behaviour of the one or more wind turbine components in a cost function, and optimising the cost function subject to the determined behavioural constraints to determine at least one control output, such as blade pitch control or generator speed control, for controlling operation of the wind turbine.