Explicit model predictive control for reduction of wind turbine structural loads

In many instances it is desirable for wind turbine to produce less power than is available in the wind. In such instances, one can balance between the strictness of the wind turbine power reference following and the reduction of the wind turbine structural loading. This paper investigates how wind turbine structural loads may be reduced through appropriate changes (i.e., small deviations) in wind turbine power references. An explicit model predictive controller - a closed form, parametric solution to the optimal control problem - is designed for the problem at hand. The extensive, realistic simulations have shown that the optimal controllers, which allow variation of the wind turbine power references, significantly reduce structural loads and fatigue.