Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying an electrical contact fault in a wind turbine blade electrical heating system, comprising inserting a predetermined enforced off cycle between or within a switching duty cycle, wherein the switching duty cycle controls the switching of one or more electrical contacts in the electrical heating system, measuring a current consumption during the predetermined enforced off cycle, determining if the measured current consumption exceeds a predetermined threshold, and wherein if the measured current consumption exceeds the predetermined threshold shutting down at least part of the electrical heating system. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine with one or more wind turbine blades that can identify an electrical contact fault.

Abstract: A method of detecting electrical failures in a wind turbine generator control system is described. The method comprises sending a test pulse through a signal path within the control system and detecting the test pulse once it has passed through the signal path, measuring a current through the signal path, and determining an input status and/or an output status of the signal path. Then, the nature of the electrical failure is identified based on a combination of the detected test pulse, the measured current and the determined input status and/or output status of the signal path.

Abstract: A method of measuring transducer currents in a wind turbine generator control system is described. The method comprises selectively activating a set of one or more transducers in a group of transducers, taking a first measurement of the current through the group of transducers, selectively activating a different set of one or more transducers in the group of transducers, and taking a second measurement of the current through the group of transducers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying an electrical contact fault in a wind turbine blade electrical heating system, comprising inserting a predetermined enforced off cycle between or within a switching duty cycle, wherein the switching duty cycle controls the switching of one or more electrical contacts in the electrical heating system, measuring a current consumption during the predetermined enforced off cycle, determining if the measured current consumption exceeds a predetermined threshold, and wherein if the measured current consumption exceeds the predetermined threshold shutting down at least part of the electrical heating system. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine with one or more wind turbine blades that can identify an electrical contact fault.

Abstract: The present invention relates to control of a wind turbine, and in particular it relates to a distributed control system including a blade controller for each blade of the wind turbine. The electrical connection between each blade controller and the power supply of the blade controller is arranged to be functionally isolated from the electrical connection of each other blade controller and the power supply of the respective blade controllers.

Abstract: A method of detecting electrical failures in a wind turbine generator control system is described. The method comprises sending a test pulse through a signal path within the control system and detecting the test pulse once it has passed through the signal path, measuring a current through the signal path, and determining an input status and/or an output status of the signal path. Then, the nature of the electrical failure is identified based on a combination of the detected test pulse, the measured current and the determined input status and/or output status of the signal path.

Abstract: A method of measuring transducer currents in a wind turbine generator control system is described. The method comprises selectively activating a set of one or more transducers in a group of transducers, taking a first measurement of the current through the group of transducers, selectively activating a different set of one or more transducers in the group of transducers, and taking a second measurement of the current through the group of transducers.

Abstract: A method of measuring electrical characteristics of a transducer in a wind turbine generator control system is described. The method comprises measuring one or more electrical characteristics of a transducer of the control system, and comparing the measured electrical characteristics to one or more reference electrical characteristics, the reference electrical characteristics being one of (a) previously measured electrical characteristics of that transducer, (b) reference electrical characteristics stored in a database, and (c) previously measured electrical characteristics of an identical or similar transducer in another wind turbine generator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to control of a wind turbine, and in particular it relates to a distributed control system including a blade controller for each blade of the wind turbine. The electrical connection between each blade controller and the power supply of the blade controller is arranged to be functionally isolated from the electrical connection of each other blade controller and the power supply of the respective blade controllers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fault-tolerant control system for a wind power plant comprising a plurality of power units, the control system comprising control means for generating a replica of essentially concurrent power unit set-point values, a data communication network for transmitting the essentially concurrent power unit set-point values to the plurality of power units and a plurality of decentralised voting means being arranged so that a decentralised voting means is assigned to each power unit, each decentralised voting means being adapted to select one power unit set-point value out of the replica of power unit set-points. The present invention further relates to an associated method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a distributed fault-tolerant control system for a modularized wind turbine or wind power plant system comprising sub-assemblies, the control system comprising 1) fault-tolerant control means adapted to generate control set-points and/or data values, said fault-tolerant control means being distributed in sub-assemblies in accordance with the modularization of the wind turbine or wind power plant system, and 2) fault-tolerant communication network for transmitting control set-points and/or data values at essentially the same time to a plurality of nodes in the distributed control system, said plurality of distributed nodes being capable of selecting a valid transmission package out of two or more transmission packages provided on the fault-tolerant communication network.

Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine is provided. The control system includes a plurality of controllers distributed in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and a plurality of data storage units, each data storage unit being arranged at a respective predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant and being coupled to the controller arranged at the same position; wherein each data storage unit comprises operational information pertaining to the predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and wherein each controller is configured to read the operational information of the corresponding data storage unit and to determine its function from the operational information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fault-tolerant control system for a wind turbine comprising a plurality of controllable wind turbine components, the control system comprising control means for generating a replica of essentially concurrent set-point values, a data communication network for transmitting the replica of essentially concurrent set-point values to the plurality of wind turbine components, and a plurality of decentralized voting means being arranged so that a decentralized voting means is assigned to each wind turbine component, each decentralized voting means being adapted to select one set-point value out of the replica of set-point values. The present invention further relates to a wind turbine and to an associated method.

Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine is provided. The control system includes a plurality of controllers distributed in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and a plurality of data storage units, each data storage unit being arranged at a respective predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant and being coupled to the controller arranged at the same position; wherein each data storage unit comprises operational information pertaining to the predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and wherein each controller is configured to read the operational information of the corresponding data storage unit and to determine its function from the operational information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a central controller adapted for controlling a number of wind turbines. The wind turbines being controlled and monitored by the central controller via a first monitoring and control network and a second monitoring and control network. The term monitoring and control network is in accordance with an embodiment of the invention understood as a data communication network which communicates at least control data for control of wind turbines, but may also communicate monitoring data, i.e. measure data. A typical example of a control of wind turbines is that the central controller sets the power set-point (the power to be produced) of each wind turbine in the wind power plant. The important control signals may be separated from high-bandwidth requiring monitoring data, such as analysis data in the communication network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fault-tolerant control system for a wind turbine comprising a plurality of controllable wind turbine components, the control system comprising control means for generating a replica of essentially concurrent set-point values, a data communication network for transmitting the replica of essentially concurrent set-point values to the plurality of wind turbine components, and a plurality of decentralised voting means being arranged so that a decentralised voting means is assigned to each wind turbine component, each decentralised voting means being adapted to select one set-point value out of the replica of set-point values. The present invention further relates to a wind turbine and to an associated method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a distributed fault-tolerant control system for a modularized wind turbine or wind power plant system comprising sub-assemblies, the control system comprising 1) fault-tolerant control means adapted to generate control set-points and/or data values, said fault-tolerant control means being distributed in sub-assemblies in accordance with the modularization of the wind turbine or wind power plant system, and 2) fault-tolerant communication network for transmitting control set-points and/or data values at essentially the same time to a plurality of nodes in the distributed control system, said plurality of distributed nodes being capable of selecting a valid transmission package out of two or more transmission packages provided on the fault-tolerant communication network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fault-tolerant control system for a wind power plant comprising a plurality of power units, the control system comprising control means for generating a replica of essentially concurrent power unit set-point values, a data communication network for transmitting the essentially concurrent power unit set-point values to the plurality of power units and a plurality of decentralised voting means being arranged so that a decentralised voting means is assigned to each power unit, each decentralised voting means being adapted to select one power unit set-point value out of the replica of power unit set-points. The present invention further relates to an associated method.

Abstract: A wind turbine (1) comprising equipment under control is presented, which comprises at least one control system (14, 14A, 14B) for one or more of said main components, (5, 7, 9) of the wind turbine. The control system (14A) is multiplied by at least one further control system (14B) for controlling the same of said equipment under control. A control arrangement, a method as well as uses hereof are also presented.

Abstract: Methods of registering events in a wind power system comprising at least two data processors. The data processors of said wind power system are mutually time synchronized. Events are registered in said at least two data processors. The timing of said events registered in different of said at least two data processors is established according to said time synchronization. Events may be registered and preferably analyzed according to a common timing. The event analysis makes it possible to establish an analysis where events of different wind turbines are basically interrelated and where information regarding such interrelation may be important or crucial for establishment of control or fault detection based on correctly timed events from different wind turbines.