CONDITION MONITORING OF WINDTURBINES

• US 20120029892A1
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Thulke, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/7
• 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 7/0292 to reduce fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/045 with model-based controls
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/84 Modelling or simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0254 based on a quantitative model, e.g. mathematical relationships between inputs and outputs; functions: observer, Kalman filter, residual calculation, Neural Networks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0286 Modifications to the monitored process, e.g. stopping operation or adapting control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A method for monitoring a wind turbine is provided. The method includes defining at least one subsystem of the wind turbine and providing a simulation model for the at least one subsystem. During normal operation of the wind turbine at least an input parameter of the at least one subsystem is determined A behavior of the at least one subsystem is simulated using the at least one input parameter as an input of the simulation model. Based on the simulated behavior, it is determined, if the at least one subsystem operates within a given specification.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a wind turbine, comprising:

defining at least one subsystem of the wind turbine;

providing a simulation model for the at least one subsystem;

determining, during normal operation of the wind turbine, at least one input parameter of the at least one subsystem;

simulating a behavior of the at least one subsystem using the at least one input parameter as an input of the simulation model; and

determining, based on the simulated behavior, if the at least one subsystem operates within a given specification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein simulating the behavior comprises determining an expected load of the at least one subsystem, and wherein determining if the at least one subsystem operates within a given specification comprises determining if the expected load exceeds a design load of the at least one subsystem.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a remaining life time of the at least one subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the model comprises a transfer function of the at least one subsystem, and wherein simulating the behavior comprises mapping the at least one input parameter with the transfer function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least an input parameter comprises measuring an external condition of the wind turbine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one subsystem comprises an active component, wherein the wind turbine further comprises a turbine controller configured to control the active component, and wherein determining the at least one input parameter comprises determining a setpoint of the active component by the turbine controller.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring an actual output signal of the at least one subsystem, wherein simulating the behavior comprises determining an expected output signal of the at least one subsystem, and wherein determining if the at least one subsystem operates within the given specification comprises determining a difference between the actual output signal and the expected output signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wind turbine further comprises a turbine controller, further comprising sending a message, raising a warning, changing a control parameter of the turbine controller, and/or scheduling a maintenance of the at least one subsystem when the at least one subsystem is determined not to operate within the given specification.

9. A method for monitoring a wind turbine, comprising:

defining at least one subsystem of the wind turbine;

providing a simulation model for the at least one subsystem;

receiving, during normal operation of the wind turbine, an input signal and an actual output signal of the at least one subsystem;

determining an expected output signal of the at least one subsystem using the input signal as an input of the simulation model;

comparing the actual output signal and the expected output signal; and

determining, based on the comparison between the actual output signal and the expected output signal, if the first subsystem operates within a given specification.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the expected output signal comprises mapping the input signal with a first transfer function to the expected output signal.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a second transfer function so that the input signal and the expected output signal substantially match, wherein comparing the actual output signal and the expected output signal comprises determining a distance between the first transfer function and the second transfer function in a function space.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first transfer function comprises a first parameter value, wherein the second transfer function comprises a second parameter value, and wherein determining the distance between the first transfer function and the second transfer function comprises determining a difference between the first parameter value and the second parameter value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first parameter value and the second parameter value are values of an eigenfrequency, a damping constant, a gain factor, a phase shift, a delay, or a combination thereof

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising updating a remaining life time of the at least one subsystem;

15. The method of claim 9, wherein comparing the actual output signal and the expected output signal comprises determining a difference between the actual output signal and the expected output signal.

16. A system for monitoring a wind turbine, comprising a simulation module which is configured:

to simulate, during normal operation of the wind turbine, a behavior of at least one subsystem of the wind turbine;

to determine, based on the simulated behavior, if the at least one subsystem operates within a given specification; and

to send a message to a turbine controller of the wind turbine when the at least one subsystem is determined not to operate within the given specification.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the simulation module comprises a submodule configured to simulate an input-output behavior of the at least one subsystem by a transfer function, wherein the at least one subsystem comprises a pitch system, a yaw system, a generator system, a power conversion system, a transformer system, or a part thereof

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the simulation module is configured:

to receive, during normal operation of the wind turbine, at least one input parameter determined by a sensor of the at least one subsystem; and

to use the at least one input parameter as an input of a simulation model for simulating the behavior of the at least one subsystem.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the simulation module is configured:

to receive a setpoint from the turbine controller configured to control an active component of the at least one submodule by issuing the setpoint to the at least one subsystem; and

to simulate the response of the at least one subsystem to receiving the setpoint.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the simulation module is configured:

to receive, during normal operation of the wind turbine, an input signal and an actual output signal of the at least one subsystem;

to map the input signal to an expected output signal by a transfer function;

to determine a difference between the actual output signal and the expected output signal; and

to determine, based on the difference, if the at least one subsystem operates within the given specification.