State monitoring system

• US 10,400,755 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Akitoshi, Haseba, Takashi, Hashizume, Keisuke, Koyamachi, Kazuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US15/128,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20170096986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 17/00 Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/334 Vibration measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1678 where the control information is for timing, e.g. time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

Provided is a state monitoring system that monitors a state of an apparatus provided in a wind turbine, including a wireless measuring unit including a sensor provided to the apparatus, and a data collection. The wireless measuring unit includes a memory storing measured data obtained from the sensor, and a wireless communication unit transmitting the measured data obtained from the sensor to the data collection device. When the data collection device has not been able to receive the measured data from the wireless measuring unit, the data collection device requests the wireless measuring unit to retransmit the measured data.

Claims

1. A state monitoring system that monitors a state of an apparatus provided in a wind turbine, comprising:

a wireless measuring unit, including a sensor, a first timer, a first memory for storing measured data obtained from the sensor and first time data measured by the first timer and associated with the stored measured data according to order of measurement, and a communication unit for transmitting the measured data obtained from the sensor to the data collection device; and

a data collection device, including a second timer and configured to use second time data measured by the second timer to perform synchronous processing that transmits a time measurement request requesting the first timer to measure time in synchronization with the second timer to the wireless measuring unit,

wherein the data collection device is configured to send a request to the wireless measuring unit requesting retransmission of the measured data and including information that specifies a first time based on information from the second timer, when the data collection device determines that it has not received measured data from the wireless measuring unit based on information from the second timer.

2. The state monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the data collection device is further configured to obtain measured data from a sensor which is different from the sensor and is provided to the apparatus, and stores the obtained measured data with which second time data measured by the second timer is associated according to order of measurement.

3. The state monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the data collection device is further configured to designate a time interval for measurement to the wireless measuring unit, and requests the wireless measuring unit to divide a plurality of measured data into a plurality of blocks for each designated number of data, and to transmit the measured data in the divided blocks.

4. The state monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the data collection device is further configured to the data collection device has not been able to receive all of the measured data, request the wireless measuring unit to retransmit the measured data in a block other than already received blocks.

5. The state monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein, when the data collection device has not been able to receive all of the measured data from the wireless measuring unit, the data collection device is further configured to receive the blocks having a reduced number of the measured data per block.

6. The state monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein

the apparatus includes a bearing that supports a shaft connected to a windmill,

the bearing has an inner race through which the shaft passes, and an outer race provided around an outer circumference of the inner race,

one of the inner race and the outer race rotates concentrically about the shaft in cooperation with rotation of the windmill, and the other is fixed, and

the wireless measuring unit including the sensor is provided on at least one of the inner race and the outer race.

7. A state monitoring system that monitors a state of an apparatus provided in a wind turbine, comprising:

a wireless measuring unit including a sensor for detecting the state, a first timer, a memory for storing measured data obtained from the sensor and first time data measured by the first timer and associated with the stored measured data according to order of measurement, and a wireless communication unit for communicating with the data collection device, and a controller configured to transmit a data group including a predetermined number of measured data of a plurality of measured data stored in the memory, through the wireless communication unit, when the wireless communication unit receives a request from the data collection device; and

a data collection device, including a second timer and configured to use second time data measured by the second timer to perform synchronous processing that transmits a time measurement request requesting the first timer to measure time in synchronization with the second timer to the wireless measuring unit,

wherein the data collection device is configured to send the request based on information from the second timer.

8. The state monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein

the request includes a requested number indicating the number of the measured data, and

the predetermined number is indicated by the requested number included in the received request.

9. The state monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the data collection device is configured to when the data collection device has not been able to receive the data corresponding to the request, retransmit the request to the wireless measuring unit.

10. The state monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein

the apparatus includes a bearing that supports a shaft connected to a windmill,

the bearing has an inner race through which the shaft passes, and an outer race provided around an outer circumference of the inner race,

one of the inner race and the outer race rotates concentrically about the shaft in cooperation with rotation of the windmill, and the other is fixed, and

the wireless measuring unit including the sensor is provided on at least one of the inner race and the outer race.