Abstract: Embodiments of the invention deal with determination of edgewise load recurrence signals acting on a wind turbine blade. It is disclosed to obtaining a plurality of measures of a parameter for deriving an edgewise load signal acting on the wind turbine blade; to filter the derived edgewise load signals to separate out frequency content to provide an edgewise component load signals; in the edgewise component load signals a peak edgewise component load signal is identified and a plurality of peak edgewise component load signals is fitted to a distribution function. The fitted peak first edgewise components is extrapolated to estimate an edgewise load recurrence.

Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine comprising at least one rotor blade, and at least one accelerometer housed within a nacelle or a tower of the wind turbine. The method comprises: determining a whirling mode frequency for the wind turbine; measuring an acceleration signal that is indicative of the movement of the nacelle of the wind turbine; determining a frequency spectrum of the measured acceleration signal in the proximity of the determined whirling mode frequency; determining a characteristic value that is representative of the energy content of the measured acceleration signal having the determined frequency spectrum; and performing at least one control action if the characteristic value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine particularly comprising a tower and a rotor with rotor blades. The pitch angles of the rotor blades are adjusted to generate a force on the rotor and the tower. The force is adjusted to counteract and damp an oscillation. The adjustment is enabled by an activation decision unit, if the activation decision unit decides that certain parameters characterising the oscillation or loads of the tower indicate a requirement and/or if the activation decision unit determines that the generated force is sufficient to counteract an oscillation of the tower.

Abstract: The invention presents a method for operating a horizontal axis wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a tower and a rotor with at least one rotor blade, the rotor being connected to the tower, and being adapted to drive a generator connected to a utility grid, wherein a pitch angle of each rotor blade is adjustable, the method comprising detecting, when the wind turbine is in an idling power producing situation in relation to the utility grid, a tower oscillation, and controlling, when the wind turbine is in the idling power producing situation, the pitch angle of the at least one rotor blade so as to produce aerodynamic forces counteracting the detected tower oscillation.

Abstract: A wind turbine comprising a tower, a rotor including a plurality of blades, an electrical generator operatively coupled to the rotor, and a control system including an active damping module configured to monitor oscillatory motion of the wind turbine and to output a damping demand signal to damp the oscillatory motion. The control system is configured to perform a rotor imbalance determination process including: controlling the rotating frequency of the rotor so that it substantially coincides with the natural frequency of the tower, determining rotor imbalance data based on the damping demand signal and evaluating said rotor imbalance data to determine the presence of a rotor imbalance condition, and correcting the rotor imbalance condition by applying pitch control inputs to one or more of the plurality of blades so as to reduce the severity of the rotor imbalance. The invention may also be expressed as a method.

Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine comprising at least one rotor blade, and at least one accelerometer housed within a nacelle or a tower of the wind turbine. The method comprises: determining a whirling mode frequency for the wind turbine; measuring an acceleration signal that is indicative of the movement of the nacelle of the wind turbine; determining a frequency spectrum of the measured acceleration signal in the proximity of the determined whirling mode frequency; determining a characteristic value that is representative of the energy content of the measured acceleration signal having the determined frequency spectrum; and performing at least one control action if the characteristic value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A wind turbine comprising a tower, a rotor including a plurality of blades, an electrical generator operatively coupled to the rotor, and a control system including an active damping module configured to monitor oscillatory motion of the wind turbine and to output a damping demand signal to damp the oscillatory motion. The control system is configured to perform a rotor imbalance determination process including: controlling the rotating frequency of the rotor so that it substantially coincides with the natural frequency of the tower, determining rotor imbalance data based on the damping demand signal and evaluating said rotor imbalance data to determine the presence of a rotor imbalance condition, and correcting the rotor imbalance condition by applying pitch control inputs to one or more of the plurality of blades so as to reduce the severity of the rotor imbalance. The invention may also be expressed as a method.

Abstract: The invention presents a method for operating a horizontal axis wind turbine (1), the wind turbine comprising a tower (2) and a rotor (5) with at least one rotor blade (51), the rotor being connected to the tower, and being adapted to drive a generator (6) connected to a utility grid (8), wherein a pitch angle (A) of each rotor blade is adjustable, the method comprising detecting (905, 911), when the wind turbine is in an idling power producing situation in relation to the utility grid, a tower oscillation, and controlling (907, 913, 914, 915), when the wind turbine is in the idling power producing situation, the pitch angle of the at least one rotor blade so as to produce aerodynamic forces counteracting the detected tower oscillation.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine particularly comprising a tower and a rotor with rotor blades. The pitch angles of the rotor blades are adjusted to generate a force on the rotor and the tower. The force is adjusted to counteract and damp an oscillation. The adjustment is enabled by an activation decision unit, if the activation decision unit decides that certain parameters characterising the oscillation or loads of the tower indicate a requirement and/or if the activation decision unit determines that the generated force is sufficient to counteract an oscillation of the tower.