Calibration method

• US 8,157,522 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Service GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: REpower Systems AG (Senvion SE)
• Inventors: Bolz, Detlef
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, Kiesha
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORNOW, MARK W
• Application Number:
  US12/375,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20090263246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 415/1, 415/30, 415/33, 415/118, 416/135, 416/61, 416/1, 416/35
• US Class Current: 416/35
• 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 7/042 by means of an electrical or electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/1095 by limiting mechanical stresses
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/331 Mechanical loads
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/802 Calibration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/808 Strain gauges; Load cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the calibration of at least one sensor (11-14) of a wind power plant (10). The invention also relates to a wind power plant (10). The calibration process according to the invention is captured by the at least one sensor (11-14). The measurement value (30, 31), which is a measure for the load of a component (15-17), is evaluated, wherein the wind power plant has at least the moveable component (15, 15′, 15″, 16, 17), wherein the component (15-17) is pivoted or rotated around a predeterminable axis (19, 20). The wind power plant according to the invention is provided with a calibration module for the automatic calibration of at least one sensor (11-14), which measures the load of a movable component (15-17) of the wind power plant.

Claims

1. Method for the operation of a wind power plant that includes a method for the calibration of at least one sensor, wherein the wind power plant has at least one movable component, comprising the steps of:

pivoting or rotating the movable component on a predeterminable axis and

evaluating a measurement value captured by the at least one sensor, which is a measure for the load of the movable component,

wherein the calibration method is performed automatically and the calibration method is initiated by a calibration signal,

stopping the wind power plant after the initiation of the calibration method by the calibration signal or performing the calibration method during trundling of the wind power plant,

wherein the evaluation step includes that in the case of a deviation of the captured measurement value, adjusted by a calibration function, from a specifiable and/or saved and/or determined reference, which is greater than a specificable deviation setpoint value, the measurement value adjusted by the calibration function is the basis for the creation and saving of an adjusted calibration function, and

wherein the evaluation step includes that in the case of a deviation of the captured measurement value from a specifiable and/or saved and/or determined reference, which is greater than a specifiable deviation threshold value, the captured measurement value is the basis for the creation and saving of the adjusted calibration function.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of measurement values of the at least one sensor is recorded and/or evaluated during the pivoting or rotating of the component.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the reference comprises a plurality or a function of setpoint values, which are specifiable and/or saved and/or determined.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the creation and saving of an adjusted calibration function is repeated.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation and the calibration method take place automatically.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the measurement values are recorded with a frequency of 0.01 Hz to 1000 Hz.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the measurement values are recorded over the full range of the pivoting or rotating.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the movable component is a rotor blade and/or a hub and/or a shaft.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the axis is a rotor shaft axis or a rotor blade longitudinal axis.

10. Method according to claim 8, wherein if the component is a rotor blade, the pivoting or rotating occurs over more than 90°

.

11. Method according to claim 8, wherein if the component is a hub and/or a shaft, the pivoting or rotating occurs over several revolutions.

12. Method according to claim 4, wherein an error signal is created when a complete calibration process repeated in a specifiable number of iterations causes the deviation of the measurement value adjusted with the calibration function from the reference to be greater than the specifiable deviation setpoint value.

13. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a load sensor.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein a control and/or regulation device and also a calibration module are provided, wherein the calibration module performs the calibration of the measurement values and transmits the calibrated values of the control and/or regulation device as input parameters.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the control and/or regulation device controls and/or regulates the operation of the wind power plant.

16. Method according to claim 14, wherein the calibration module is integrated in the control and/or regulation device.

17. Method according to claim 1, wherein a rotor blade of the wind power plant is brought into a mainly specifiable position after the initiation of the calibration process by the calibration signal.

18. Method according to claim 17, wherein the rotor blade is moved to a specifiable position relative to the wind direction.

19. Method according to claim 18, wherein the rotor blade is moved into a mainly horizontal position.

20. Wind power plant with a calibration module for the, automatic, calibration of at least one sensor, which measures the load of a movable component of the wind power plant, wherein the calibration module for the execution of a calibration process is designed according to claim 1.

21. Wind power plant according to claim 20, wherein a control and/or regulation device is also provided, which is connected with the calibration module or into which the calibration module is integrated.