Active and Passive Load Mitigation in Wind
Turbines
Carlo Bottasso
Department of Aerospace Eng.
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Abstract:
Load reduction techniques for wind turbines can be broadly
categorized into two families: active and passive. The former aims at
mitigating loads by actively controlling the machine, for example by
changing the blade pitch and the generator torque, or by moving flaps
and/or tabs or other active devices. The latter is based on the idea of
designing a structure that, when aerodynamically loaded, deforms so as
to induce a load reduction, for example by exploiting the anisotropic
properties of composite materials. In this talk we will discuss the
latest developments in these two fields, and explore their possible
synergies through the use of integrated multi-disciplinary
optimization-based design procedures.
Bio: Carlo L. Bottasso is a full Professor at the Aerospace Engineering
Department of the Politecnico di Milano, Italy, where he directs the
POLI-Wind research laboratory. Prof. Bottasso’s research group works
with the support of industry on wind power engineering problems in the
areas of blade design, aero-servo-elasticity and control. He has
co-authored over 260 publications, including 91 peer review journal
papers. Prof. Bottasso is also the co-founder of the wind energy
consulting firm TSR s.r.l. - Technological Solutions through Research.