Method and apparatus to determine the wind speed and direction experienced by a wind turbine
First Claim
1. An apparatus used to determine the speed and direction of the wind experienced by a wind turbine comprising:
- at least one rotor sensor to be affixed to a rotor of a wind turbine, an angular sensor to measure the angular position of the rotor of the wind turbine, and a circuit which converts the relationship between the output of the at least one rotor sensor and the output of the angular sensor into the speed and direction of the wind experienced by the wind turbine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and a method used to determine the speed and direction of the wind experienced by a wind turbine are provided. The apparatus comprises at least one sensor fixed to the rotor of the wind turbine, an angular sensor to measure the angular position of the rotor of the wind turbine, and a circuit which converts the relationship between the output of the at least one sensor and the output of the angular sensor into the speed and direction of the wind experienced by the wind turbine. According to the invention, the sensing apparatus can measure the wind speed and direction in three dimensions. In addition, mounting the sensors directly to the rotor of the wind turbine results in a very simple and robust installation. Mounting the sensors directly to the rotor also eliminates the turbulence from the rotor and the nacelle of the wind turbine from affecting the sensors.
58 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus used to determine the speed and direction of the wind experienced by a wind turbine comprising:
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at least one rotor sensor to be affixed to a rotor of a wind turbine, an angular sensor to measure the angular position of the rotor of the wind turbine, and a circuit which converts the relationship between the output of the at least one rotor sensor and the output of the angular sensor into the speed and direction of the wind experienced by the wind turbine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15)
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9. A method for determining the speed and direction of wind experienced by a wind turbine which comprises:
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rotating at least one rotor sensor about a rotation axis of the rotor of a wind turbine, recording the output of the at least one rotor sensor in at least one angular position, and using the relationship between the at least one recording and the at least one angular position at which it was taken to calculate the wind speed and direction. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification