# NREL 5MW region 3 torque control

**URL:** <https://forums.nlr.gov/t/nrel-5mw-region-3-torque-control/182>\
**Category:** Computer-Aided Engineering Software Tools\
**Created:** [July 17, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://forums.nlr.gov/t/nrel-5mw-region-3-torque-control/182 "2009-07-17T22:56:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Scott.Larwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scott.Larwood](https://forums.nlr.gov/u/Scott.Larwood)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://forums.nlr.gov/t/nrel-5mw-region-3-torque-control/182/1 "2009-07-17T22:56:13Z")

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Hi Jason,

I was wondering if you had a reference (besides your 2009 report) for the region 3 torque control for the NREL 5MW:  
[[FAST Pitch Controller with rate limits](http://forums.nlr.gov/t/fast-pitch-controller-with-rate-limits/146/1))  
Was this original work, or is this type of control (GenTrq = VS\_RtPwr/GenSpeedF) common in production turbines? I’m used to the method of just saturating torque above rated gen speed.

Thanks,

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**Author:** ![Jason.Jonkman](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/nrel/user_avatar/forums.nlr.gov/jason.jonkman/32/3086_2.png) [@Jason.Jonkman](https://forums.nlr.gov/u/Jason.Jonkman)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://forums.nlr.gov/t/nrel-5mw-region-3-torque-control/182/2 "2009-07-21T15:37:38Z")

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Hi Scott,

The region 3 torque control law for the NREL 5-MW turbine was not original work. I based the region 3 controller on the controller described in this Risoe report:

Hansen, M. H., Hansen, A., Larsen, T. J., Oeye, S., Soerensen, and Fuglsang, P., Control Design for a Pitch-Regulated, Variable-Speed Wind Turbine, Risoe-R-1500(EN), Roskilde, Denmark: Risoe National Laboratory, January 2005.

I think it is more common in wind turbines to employ contant power above rated, rather than constant torque.

Best regards,

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**Author:** ![Scott.Larwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scott.Larwood](https://forums.nlr.gov/u/Scott.Larwood)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://forums.nlr.gov/t/nrel-5mw-region-3-torque-control/182/3 "2009-07-21T15:45:49Z")

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Jason,

Thank you for the reply and reference.