Individual Blade Pitch and Camber Control for Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

In this paper we present a dynamical systems model and control algorithms for a small, vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). The wind turbine is designed for the domestic market, including regions without very favorable wind conditions. Good performance at low wind speeds is an important requirement for developing an economically viable, suburban VAWT. The performance of a VAWT can be greatly enhanced by incorporating estimation and control capabilities. Individual blade pitch and camber controls are considered in our VAWT design. Pitch control is achieved by rotating each individual blade about its vertical axis, while camber control is realized using a trailing edge flap on each blade. Using camber and pitch controls help in creating a greater force differential across the turbine than using pitch control alone. In this paper we present a simple strategy for implementing pitch control and demonstrate the resulting efficiency improvement through a simulation.