METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING PARAMETERS OF ROTATING BLADES

• US 20090277266A1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wang, Dong, Zhang, Hua
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.10
• 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 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0292 to reduce fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/048 controlling wind farms
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/20 to optimise the performance of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/309 Rate of change of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/331 Mechanical loads
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A method for monitoring operating parameters of a rotating blade is provided. The blade includes at least one sensor thereon, the sensor operatively coupled to a data acquisition device. The method includes transferring data from the sensor to the data acquisition device, the data relating to blade acceleration measurements, transmitting a signal representative of the transferred data from the data acquisition device to a control system, and controlling blade loads using the transmitted signal.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring operating parameters of a rotating blade having at least one sensor thereon, the sensor operatively coupled to a data acquisition device, said method comprising:

transferring data from the sensor to the data acquisition device, the data relating to blade acceleration measurements;

transmitting a signal representative of the transferred data from the data acquisition device to a control system; and

controlling blade loads using the transmitted signal.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising supplying power to the data acquisition device, the power generated at the blade.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising supplying power to the data acquisition device, the power generated at a hub.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein transmitting a signal to the control system further comprises transmitting a signal representative of the transferred data from the data acquisition device to the control system using radio frequency (RF) transmission.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein transmitting a signal to the control system further comprises transmitting a signal representative of the transferred data from the data acquisition device to the control system using at least one fiber optic cable between the data acquisition device and the control system.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein transmitting a signal to the control system further comprises transmitting a signal representative of the transferred data from the data acquisition device to the control system using at least one metallic wire between the data acquisition device and the control system, wherein the metallic wire includes lightning suppression materials.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the blade is coupled to a hub of a tower supporting a wind turbine, controlling blade loads further comprises analyzing the signal received by the control system to make one of real-time adjustments and near real-time adjustments in operating characteristics of the wind turbine.

8. A blade configured for mounting to a rotor, said blade comprising at least one sensor operatively coupled to a data acquisition device also on said blade, said at least one sensor is configured to transfer blade acceleration data to said data acquisition device, said data acquisition device is configured to generate a signal representative of the data received from said at least one sensor and transmit the signal to a control system, said control system is configured to control blade loads using the signal.

9. A blade in accordance with claim 8 wherein said blade is coupled to a rotor of a wind turbine.

10. A blade in accordance with claim 8 wherein said data acquisition device is powered by energy generated at one of said blade and a hub.

11. A blade in accordance with claim 8 wherein said data acquisition device is configured to transmit the signal representative of the sensor data using one of radio frequency (RF) transmission and at least one wire between said data acquisition device and said control system.

12. A blade in accordance with claim 11 wherein said at least one wire comprises one of at least one fiber optic wire and at least one metallic wire comprising lightning suppression materials.

13. A blade in accordance with claim 9 wherein said control system is further configured to control blade loads by analyzing the signal transmitted by said data acquisition device and making adjustments in operating characteristics of said wind turbine.

14. A wind turbine comprising:

at least one blade comprising at least one sensor operatively coupled to at least one data acquisition device mounted on said blade, said at least one sensor is configured to transfer blade acceleration data to said at least one data acquisition device; and

at least one real-time or near real-time control system, said data acquisition device is configured to generate a signal representative of the sensor data and to transmit the signal to said at least one control system, said at least one control system configured to control blade loads.

15. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 14 wherein said at least one data acquisition device is powered by energy generated at least one of said at least one blade and a hub.

16. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 14 wherein said at least one control system is further configured to control said wind turbine to maintain operational characteristics within predetermined limits.

17. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 14 wherein said at least one data acquisition device is further configured to transmit the signal representative of the sensor data using one of radio frequency (RF) transmission and at least one wire between said at least one data acquisition device and said at least one control system.

18. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 17 wherein said at least one wire comprises one of at least one fiber optic wire and at least one metallic wire comprising lightning suppression materials.

19. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 14 wherein said wind turbine comprises a plurality of sensors on each blade, said plurality of sensors are of a type selected from the group of pressure sensors, strain sensors, temperature sensors, and combinations thereof.

20. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 19 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises at least one strain sensor.