Methods and apparatuses for wind turbine fatigue load measurement and assessment
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- determining position of a wind turbine generator component within a nacelle with respect to a reference location also within the nacelle with one or more sensors coupled with the wind turbine generator component;
receiving output signals from the one or more sensors with a turbine controller communicatively coupled with the one or more sensors;
performing tower fatigue analysis with the turbine controller based on the output signals from the one or more sensors wherein results from the tower fatigue analysis comprise a spectral frequency analysis and further wherein the spectral frequency analysis is used to predict fatigue of a lower portion of the tower; and
generating, with the turbine controller, a graphical user-readable output based on the fatigue analysis indicating fatigue life information.
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Abstract
Techniques and apparatuses for wind turbine component fatigue load measurement and assessment are disclosed. In one embodiment the component is a tower, fore-aft and side-to-side signals from a two-axis accelerometer attached to a bedplate of a wind turbine are used to measure tower fatigue loads. A yaw axis azimuth position signal can also be used for tower fatigue load measurement and assessment.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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determining position of a wind turbine generator component within a nacelle with respect to a reference location also within the nacelle with one or more sensors coupled with the wind turbine generator component; receiving output signals from the one or more sensors with a turbine controller communicatively coupled with the one or more sensors; performing tower fatigue analysis with the turbine controller based on the output signals from the one or more sensors wherein results from the tower fatigue analysis comprise a spectral frequency analysis and further wherein the spectral frequency analysis is used to predict fatigue of a lower portion of the tower; and generating, with the turbine controller, a graphical user-readable output based on the fatigue analysis indicating fatigue life information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An article comprising computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
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determine position of a wind turbine generator component within a nacelle with respect to a reference location also within the nacelle with one or more sensors coupled with the wind turbine generator component; perform tower fatigue analysis based on output signals from the one or more sensors wherein results from the tower fatigue analysis comprise a spectral frequency analysis and further wherein the spectral frequency analysis is used to predict fatigue of a lower portion of the tower; and generate a graphical user-readable output based on the fatigue analysis indicating fatigue life information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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one or more sensors to detect a condition caused by movement of a component of a wind turbine generator within a nacelle, the one or more sensors to generate condition signals indicating the condition of the component; control circuitry coupled with the one or more sensors to receive the condition signals and to determine a position of a wind turbine generator component atop a tower based on the condition signals from the one or more sensors, to transform the determined position from a frame of reference corresponding to sensor locations to a frame of reference corresponding to a lower portion of the tower and to perform fatigue load analysis on the transformed position corresponding to the lower portion of the tower. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification