Methods and apparatus for rotor blade ice detection
First Claim
1. A method for detecting ice on a wind turbine having a rotor and one or more rotor blades each having blade roots, said method comprising:
- monitoring meteorological conditions relating to icing conditions;
monitoring one or more physical characteristics of the wind turbine in operation that vary in accordance with at least one of the mass of the one or more rotor blades or a mass imbalance between the rotor blades;
using the one or more monitored physical characteristics to determine whether a blade mass anomaly exists;
determining whether the monitored meteorological conditions are consistent with blade icing; and
signaling an icing-related blade mass anomaly when a blade mass anomaly is determined to exist and the monitored meteorological conditions are determined to be consistent with icing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for detecting ice on a wind turbine having a rotor and one or more rotor blades each having blade roots includes monitoring meteorological conditions relating to icing conditions and monitoring one or more physical characteristics of the wind turbine in operation that vary in accordance with at least one of the mass of the one or more rotor blades or a mass imbalance between the rotor blades. The method also includes using the one or more monitored physical characteristics to determine whether a blade mass anomaly exists, determining whether the monitored meteorological conditions are consistent with blade icing; and signaling an icing-related blade mass anomaly when a blade mass anomaly is determined to exist and the monitored meteorological conditions are determined to be consistent with icing.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for detecting ice on a wind turbine having a rotor and one or more rotor blades each having blade roots, said method comprising:
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monitoring meteorological conditions relating to icing conditions; monitoring one or more physical characteristics of the wind turbine in operation that vary in accordance with at least one of the mass of the one or more rotor blades or a mass imbalance between the rotor blades; using the one or more monitored physical characteristics to determine whether a blade mass anomaly exists; determining whether the monitored meteorological conditions are consistent with blade icing; and signaling an icing-related blade mass anomaly when a blade mass anomaly is determined to exist and the monitored meteorological conditions are determined to be consistent with icing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for detecting ice on a wind turbine having a rotor and one or more rotor blades each having blade roots, said method comprising:
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monitoring meteorological conditions relating to icing conditions; monitoring one or more physical characteristics of the wind turbine in operation, said physical characteristics including at least blade root bending moments, that vary in accordance with at least one of the mass of the one or more rotor blades or a mass imbalance between the rotor blades; using the one or more monitored physical characteristics to determine whether a blade mass anomaly exists; determining whether the monitored meteorological conditions are consistent with blade icing; and signaling an icing-related blade mass anomaly when a blade mass anomaly is determined to exist and the monitored meteorological conditions are determined to be consistent with icing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A wind turbine comprising:
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a rotor having one or more rotor blades; one or more meteorological sensors configured to monitor meteorological conditions relating to icing; one or more physical characteristic sensors configured to monitor one or more physical characteristics of the wind turbine in operation that vary in accordance with at least one of a mass of said one or more rotor blades or a mass imbalance between said rotor blades; and a processor operably coupled to said one or more meteorological sensors and said one or more physical characteristic sensors, said processor configured to; determine whether the monitored meteorological conditions are consistent with blade icing; use the one or more monitored physical characteristics to determine whether a blade mass anomaly exists; and generate a signal indicating an icing-related blade anomaly when the existence of a blade mass anomaly is determined and the monitored meteorological conditions are determined to be consistent with icing. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A wind turbine comprising:
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a rotor having one or more rotor blades; one or more meteorological sensors configured to monitor meteorological conditions relating to icing; one or more physical characteristic sensors configured to monitor one or more physical characteristics of the wind turbine in operation that vary in accordance with at least one of a mass of said one or more rotor blades or a mass imbalance between said rotor blades, said physical characteristic sensors including at least one sensor that monitors blade root bending moments, and a processor operably coupled to said one or more meteorological sensors and said one or more physical characteristic sensors, said processor configured to; determine whether the monitored meteorological conditions are consistent with blade icing; use the one or more monitored physical characteristics to determine whether a blade mass anomaly exists; and generate a signal indicating an icing-related blade anomaly when the existence of a blade mass anomaly is determined and the monitored meteorological conditions are determined to be consistent with icing. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A wind turbine comprising a rotor having at least one blade, a nacelle, and a yaw control system, said wind turbine configured to yaw the nacelle and to signal a blade mass imbalance when a variable gyroscopic load is detected when the nacelle is yawed.
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43. A method for detecting a blade mass imbalance comprising yawing a nacelle of a wind turbine and signaling a blade mass imbalance when a variable gyroscopic load is detected when the nacelle is yawed.
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44. A wind turbine comprising a rotor having at least one blade, a pitch system, a turbine controller, and meteorological sensors configured to measure meteorological conditions including wind speed and precipitation type, said controller configured to signal a blade mass anomaly when said blades are pitched outside of a predetermined nominal range for a measured wind speed and measured conditions exist that are conducive to icing.
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45. A method for detecting a blade mass anomaly on a wind turbine having at least one blade, a pitch system, and meteorological sensors configured to measure meteorological conditions including, wind speed and precipitation type, said method comprising measuring a wind speed using the meteorological sensors, comparing a pitch of the blades to a predetermined nominal range for the measured wind speed, and signaling a blade mass anomaly when the blades are pitched outside of the predetermined nominal range for the measured wind speed and measured conditions exist that are conducive to icing.
Specification