Computational closed-loop controller design for active de-icing of wind turbines using distributed resistive heaters and temperature sensors

摘要

This paper explains the development of a numerical approach for the computational implementation of closed-loop active de-icing using distributed resistive heating and temperature sensing. The optimization tool in ANSYS is used for calculation of the optimal values of controller parameters. The results are presented for a continuous proportional controller and a pulsed proportional controller on a segment of a rotating 1.5 MW wind turbine blade. The results show that despite the simplicity of the controller scheme, its de-icing time is about 4 times faster than a constant heat flux thermal actuation with the same amount of total energy consumption while significantly reducing the maximum applied temperature to the blade structure. The results show that larger controller gains need to be selected for those heaters that are closer to the blade leading edge due to the larger amount of convective heat loss in that region.