Damping device for onshore and offshore wind turbines

1. A wind turbine, comprising;

a substantially tubular tower structure extending from a tower foundation, the tower structure comprising a plurality of substantially tubular segments having an exterior wall and an interior wall, the tower foundation comprising an exterior portion and an interior portion;

a nacelle mounted atop the tower structure;

a rotor coupled to the nacelle, the rotor having one or more rotor Hades attached thereto;

at least one upper mount extending from the tower structure;

at least one lower mount extending from one of the tower structure or the tower foundation;

at least one damping device extending parallel with the interior wall of the tubular sections, the damping device comprising an upper connector coupled with the upper mount, a lower connector coupled with the lower mount, and at least one damper coupled between the upper connector and the lower connector.

2. The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein the upper mount and lower mount extend from the tower structure interior wall.

3. The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein the upper connector and lower connector comprise hinges.

4. The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein the tower foundation is configured to be positioned at one of onshore, near-shore, and offshore.

5. The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one damper comprises a viscous damper further comprising at least one of a passive damper, a semi-active damper, an active damper, a hybrid damper, a hydraulic damper, a pneumatic damper, a solid friction damper, a rotational inertia-viscous damper, a rotational friction damper, a variable-orifice viscous damper, a variable stiffness damper, a variable-friction damper, a controllable fluid damper and mixtures thereof.

6. The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one damper comprises a damping coefficient in the range of 5 to 5000 meganewton-seconds/meter.