Pitch control system for large-scale wind turbines

Abstract

The purpose of this analysis is to study the design of a pitching blade segment control system for the NASA-DOE MOD 0 wind turbine to alleviate some of the problems associated with shear, tower shadow, and gravity phenomena, such as shortened lifetime and noise generation. The classical linear quadratic Gaussian optimal regulator approach is used in the control formulation. A quasisteady aerodynamic analysis incorporating wind shear and tower shadow is utilized. An equivalent hinge model describes the turbine structural dynamics. The study shows that the proposed control system can provide significant vibration and noise reduction as well as a cleaner power signal, better gust response, and increased annual energy output.