ELECTRIC GENERATOR FOR A WIND TURBINE, WIND TURBINE AND METHOD OF DRIVING A WIND TURBINE

• US 20120313374A1
• Filed: 06/06/2012
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Thomsen, Thyge Skovbjerg, Laurberg, Hans
• Application Number:
  US13/489,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313374A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/44
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/00 Controlling wind motors supplying or distributing electrical power H02J, e.g. arrangements for adjusting, eliminating or compensating reactive power in networks H02J3/18; controlling electric generators H02P, e.g. arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output H02P9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0204 for orientation in relation to wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0272 by measures acting on the electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/20 for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/16 Centering rotors within the stator; Balancing rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/03 Machines characterised by aspects of the air-gap between rotor and stator
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1838 Generators mounted in a nacelle or similar structure of a horizontal axis wind turbine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

An electric generator for a wind turbine, a wind turbine including such an electric generator and a method of driving such a wind turbine are provided. The electric generator includes a generator rotor and a generator stator concentrically arranged around a generator axis and at a distance from each other. The electric generator further includes a distance sensor arrangement including at least one distance sensor adapted to sense the distance between the generator rotor and the generator stator and to provide a sensor signal including an information about the sensed distance.

Claims

1. An electric generator for a wind turbine, comprising:

a generator rotor and a generator stator concentrically arranged around a generator axis and at a distance from each other; and

a distance sensor arrangement including at least one distance sensor adapted to sense the distance between the generator rotor and the generator stator and to provide a sensor signal comprising an information about the sensed distance.

2. The electric generator of claim 1,

wherein the distance sensor arrangement comprises a first and a second distance sensor each of which having a respective sensor axis, and

wherein a parallel projection of the first sensor axis of the first distance sensor and of the second sensor axis of the second distance sensor onto a plane having a surface normal parallel to the generator axis cross each other.

3. The electric generator of claim 2, wherein the parallel projection of the first sensor axis of the first distance sensor and of the second sensor axis of the second distance sensor cross at an angle of about or exactly 90 degrees.

4. The electric generator of claim 1, wherein the distance sensor arrangement comprises a distance sensor laterally disposed from the generator axis and aligned to sense the distance in a substantially or exactly horizontal direction.

5. The electric generator of claim 4, further comprising an evaluation unit connected to the distance sensor arrangement and adapted to determine a position of the generator rotor relative to the generator stator.

6. The electric generator of claim 5, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to determine the position of the generator rotor as

x=r_s−

x_c−

sqrt(r_r²−

y_c²),

y=r_s−

y_c−

sqrt(r_r²−

x_c²),

wherein x and y are Cartesian coordinates of the position of the generator rotor, r_s is an inner radius of the generator stator, r_r is an outer radius of the generator rotor and x_c and y_c are Cartesian coordinates of the generator axis.

7. The electric generator of claim 5, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to determine the position of the generator rotor as

x=r_s−

x_c−

r_r,

y=r_s−

y_c−

r_r,

wherein x and y are Cartesian coordinates of the position of the generator rotor, r_s is an inner radius of the generator stator, r_r is an outer radius of the generator rotor and x_c and y_c are Cartesian coordinates of the generator axis.

8. A wind turbine, comprising:

an electric generator including a generator rotor and a generator stator concentrically arranged around a generator axis and at a distance from each other;

a wind rotor connected to the generator rotor; and

a distance sensor arrangement including a distance sensor adapted to sense the distance between the generator rotor, or a part connected to the generator rotor, and the generator stator, or a part connected to the generator stator, and to provide a sensor signal comprising an information about the sensed distance.

9. The wind turbine of claim 8,

wherein the distance sensor arrangement comprises a first and a second distance sensor each of which having a respective sensor axis, and

wherein a parallel projection of the first sensor axis of the first distance sensor and of the second sensor axis of the second distance sensor onto a plane having a surface normal parallel to the generator axis cross each other.

10. The wind turbine of claim 9, wherein the parallel projection of the first sensor axis of the first distance sensor and of the second sensor axis of the second distance sensor cross at an angle of about or exactly 90 degrees.

11. The wind turbine of claim 8, wherein the distance sensor arrangement comprises a distance sensor laterally disposed from the generator axis and aligned to sense the distance in a substantially or exactly horizontal direction.

12. The wind turbine of claim 11, further comprising an evaluation unit connected to the distance sensor arrangement and adapted to determine a position of the generator rotor relative to the generator stator.

13. The wind turbine as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the wind turbine is adapted to compare the position of the generator rotor to a predetermined threshold position and to generate an alarm signal in correspondence with a result of the comparison.

14. The wind turbine of claim 12, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to determine the position of the generator rotor as

x=r_s−

x_c−

sqrt(r_r²−

y_c²),

y=r_s−

y_c−

sqrt(r_r²−

x_c²),

wherein x and y are Cartesian coordinates of the position of the generator rotor, r_s is an inner radius of the generator stator, r_r is an outer radius of the generator rotor and x_c and y_c are Cartesian coordinates of the generator axis.

15. The wind turbine of claim 12, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to determine the position of the generator rotor as

x=r_s−

x_c−

r_r,

y=r_s−

y_c−

r_r,

wherein x and y are Cartesian coordinates of the position of the generator rotor, r_s is an inner radius of the generator stator, r_r is an outer radius of the generator rotor and x_c and y_c are Cartesian coordinates of the generator axis.

16. The wind turbine as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the wind rotor is pivotable about a vertical axis, and

wherein the wind turbine is adapted to pivot the wind rotor in accordance with the sensor signal from the distance sensor arrangement of the electric generator.

17. A method of operating a wind turbine according claim 8, the method comprising:

sensing a distance between the generator rotor, or a part connected to the rotor, and the generator stator, or a part connected to the generator stator;

providing a sensor signal comprising an information about the sensed distance; and

controlling the wind turbine in correspondence with the sensor signal.