A model reference adaptive control framework for floating offshore wind turbines with collective and individual blade pitch strategy

Abstract

The utilization of floating offshore wind turbines is regarded as a promising solution for offshore renewables, wherein blade pitch control plays a crucial role in both operation and maintenance. Among the various blade pitch control methods, strategies that involve more states pertaining to the control objectives demonstrate superior tracking performance. However, these approaches necessitate additional linearization and parameter tuning efforts, particularly when addressing varying operating conditions in real-world unsteady environments. In this study, a decoupled model reference adaptive control framework with inner control laws for ideal responses for both collective and individual blade pitch is employed, in the context of floating offshore wind turbine control problems during operation beyond rated conditions. According to the simulations conducted on a benchmark wind turbine simulator under a series of turbulent wind speeds, the proposed integrated controller achieved reductions in power fluctuation and damage equivalent load in blades compared to corresponding baseline controllers, at the expense of acceptable deterioration in tower base loads and blade actuator activities. The proposed scheme demonstrates its adaptability in serving the entire operating range, mitigating the need for parameter tuning due to variations in wind speed, and exhibits potential to involve more control purposes.