Individual pitch control for the reduction of ultimate loads on wind turbines

The use of wind power has been increasing rapidly over last few decades and according to all predictions this trend is likely to continue. At the same time, the need for better cost effectiveness of wind power plants has stimulated growth in wind turbines’ size and rated power, thus increasing structural loads and fatigue the wind turbines have to withstand. Therefore an advanced control system is needed which reduces structural loads and fatigue and enables optimal wind energy conversion in a wide range of wind speeds. Such control system based on individual pitch control is addressed in this paper.

Il settore dell’energia eolica ha avuto una grande espansione negli ultimi decenni e tuttora è in continua evoluzione. Attualmente la taglia delle turbine eoliche è in continua crescita per ottenere un miglior rapporto costo-beneficio, aumentano di conseguenza i carichi ultimi strutturali e a fatica e diventano quindi necessarie nuove sofisticate tecniche progettuali in termini strutturali, del controllo e della generazione di energia.