METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A WIND TURBINE AND WIND TURBINE

• US 20140355913A1
• Filed: 11/22/2012
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Pedersen, Bo, Thomsen, Kim
• Application Number:
  US14/368,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20140355913A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/100
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/53 Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/02 for radial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/12 characterised by features not related to the direction of the load
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/24 with devices affected by abnormal or undesired positions, e.g. for preventing overheating, for safety
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2300/14 Large applications, e.g. bearings having an inner diameter exceeding 500 mm
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/31 Wind motors in general F03D
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0648 by sensors or pressure-responsive control devices in or near the bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/105 Conditioning, e.g. metering, cooling, filtering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A wind turbine and method for controlling a wind turbine with a plain/sliding bearing and bearing lubrication means is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of

• • Operating the bearing as a hydrodynamic bearing in normal operation; and
  • Operating the bearing as a hydrostatic bearing when the friction of the bearing reaches a threshold.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a wind turbine with a plain/sliding bearing and bearing lubrication means, comprising the steps of:

operating the bearing as a hydrodynamic bearing in normal operation; and

operating the bearing as a hydrostatic bearing when the friction of the bearing reaches a threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein for the hydrostatic operation the lubrication of the bearing is pressurised and/or the temperature of the bearing is controlled.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the friction is determined by measuring pressure, temperature and/or film thickness of the bearing or by parameters of a wind turbine controller.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein stiffness and/or damping of the turbine and/or driveline components are adjusted.

5. A wind turbine with a plain/sliding bearing and a bearing lubricant, comprising a pressure unit for controlling the pressure of the lubricant and a controller connected to the pressure unit adapted for control of operation of the bearing as a hydrodynamic bearing and/or as a hydrostatic bearing.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 5, wherein the controller comprises inputs for actual turbine load and production, bearing and lubricant conditions and/or operating and maintenance status and wherein the controller is adapted to generate an output for the pressure unit based upon the inputs.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 5, comprising an energy storage with a pressure reservoir for the lubricant.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 5, comprising a temperature unit for controlling the temperature of the bearing, wherein the temperature unit is connected to the controller.

9. The wind turbine according to claim 5, comprising a sensor for measuring pressure, temperature and/or film thickness of the lubricant in the bearing.

10. The wind turbine according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is arranged in the area of a lubricant inlet of the bearing.