Vibration Control Of Wind Turbines A Comparative Study...

Vibration Control in Wind Turbines: A Comparative Study Milad Rezaee1 and Aly Mousaad Alyï€ ª2 1, 2 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA Abstract. Recently, the increased energy demand has led to explorations in other sources, particularly in renewable energies. Wind energy is one of the cleanest sources that plays a significant role in providing sustainable energy. Wind turbines, as wind energy power plants, are considered tall and slender structures, and depending on their location, which can be inland or offshore, can be exposed to high wind and/or strong wave loads. These loads can exert unwanted vibrations on the structure that may have detrimental effects on energy production. The current paper reviews some of existing methods to control these vibrations and investigates the influence of using different methods to suppress the motion of a wind turbine tower. In this study, the capability of the tuned mass dampers, tuned liquid column and sloshing dampers, and viscous dampers to decrease the tower’s vibration are evaluated. Finally, a comparison among these devices is made and recommendations on the appli cation of each technique are suggested. Based on the results presented, viscous dampers can reduce both displacement and acceleration of the tower better than other types of dampers, for the same control effort (total control force). Nevertheless, the use of viscous dampers may require space considerations,