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Pitch battles

Published in: Talking Point, Exclusive Articles

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A wind turbine pitch system with higher redundancy and safety will be more cost-effective in the long term compared to a cheaper, simplified alternative. For example, can all three blades pitch at all times? Understanding the relevant design load cases is a crucial starting point.

The pitch system, which is responsible for rotating each turbine blade around its axis, is a wind turbine’s primary safety mechanism. It plays a key role in regulating power output and ensuring the turbine performs safely under variable wind conditions.

Hydraulic cylinders, accumulators, sensors and valves are installed for pitch movement on the blades. If cost is the only design consideration, compromises to redundancy and fault tolerance become a risk, ultimately increasing the total cost of ownership.

Each blade rotates around its own axis to regulate the power output of the turbine. To keep the power output at the level of what the turbine is designed for, the blades have to be pitched out of the wind, which essentially makes the turbine less effective by harvesting less of the wind energy. This process is constantly impacting the power output from the turbine.

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