WIRELESS INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR WIND TURBINE COMPONENTS

• US 20100097220A1
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: GE Wind Energy GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Cheng, Po Wen
• Application Number:
  US12/253,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20100097220A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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 7/047 characterised by the controller architecture, e.g. multiple processors or data communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A wireless information system for wind turbine components is disclosed. The wireless information system includes radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that are attached to wind turbine components. The RFID tags contain component information such as identification, commissioning date, and maintenance information. The system allows the components to be identified and/or verified by a technician. The technician may use a handheld device, which permits the RFID tag to be read at various locations.

Claims

1. A wind turbine, comprising:

at least one RFID tag attached to at least one wind turbine component;

wherein the at least one RFID tag is configured to provide component information to a RFID reader when interrogated.

2. The wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is disposed upon a drivetrain component.

3. The wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the component information comprises component identification, service and maintenance information.

4. The wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag comprises a semiconductor chip and antenna.

5. The wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is a chipless RFID tag.

6. The wind turbine of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag comprises human readable indicia.

7. A wind turbine component information system, comprising:

at least one RFID tag configured to provide component information; and

an RFID reader configured to interrogate and receive the component information from the at least one RFID tag.

8. The system of claim 7, further wherein the RFID tag is disposed upon a drivetrain component.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the component information comprises component identification, service and maintenance information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the RFID tag comprises a semiconductor chip and antenna.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the RFID tag is a chipless RFID tag.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the RFID tag comprises human readable indicia.

13. The system of claim 7,wherein the RFID reader is a handheld RFID reader.

14. A method of indentifying components of a wind turbine, comprising:

affixing at least one RFID tag to a wind turbine component, and

interrogating the at least one RFID tag with an RFID reader to obtain component information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID tag is affixed to a drivetrain component.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the component information comprises component identification, service and maintenance information.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID tag comprises a semiconductor chip and antenna configured to send component information upon interrogation.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID tag is a chipless RFID tag configured to provide component information upon interrogation.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining human readable indicia from the RFID tag.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the RFID reader is portably operated.