System and method for adjusting a bending moment of a shaft in a wind turbine

• US 8,227,930 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Goller, George Albert, Mashtare, Dale Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US13/217,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20120139242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/55, 702/150, 702/151, 416/1
• US Class Current: 290/44
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/20 Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/50 Maintenance or repair
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/60 Assembly methods
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/14 Casings, housings, nacelles, gondels or the like, protecting or supporting assemblies there within
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/912 on a tower
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/1095 by limiting mechanical stresses
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/31 Wind motors in general F03D
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/00 Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers F16C23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A system and method for adjusting a bending moment of a shaft in a wind turbine are disclosed. The system includes a pillow block accepting the shaft therethrough, a sensor mounted to the pillow block and measuring deformation of the pillow block, and a control system communicatively coupled to the sensor. The control system is configured to adjust a rotor blade in response to the deformation of the pillow block. The method includes measuring a deformation of a pillow block, and adjusting a rotor blade in response to the deformation of the pillow block. The pillow block accepts the shaft therethrough.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting a bending moment of a shaft in a wind turbine, the system comprising:

a pillow block accepting the shaft therethrough;

a sensor mounted to the pillow block and measuring deformation of the pillow block; and

,

a control system communicatively coupled to the sensor, the control system configured to adjust a rotor blade in response to the deformation of the pillow block.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor measures deformation due to bending of the shaft about a yaw axis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor measures deformation due to bending of the shaft about a tilt axis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a strain gauge.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor measures strain of the pillow block.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is mounted to the pillow block at a maximum deformation location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the pillow block further defines a mounting platform, and wherein the sensor is mounted to the pillow block on the mounting platform.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mounting platform is defined in the pillow block at a maximum deformation location.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to adjust a pitch of the rotor blade in response to the deformation of the pillow block.

11. A wind turbine, comprising:

a shaft;

a pillow block accepting the shaft therethrough;

a sensor mounted to the pillow block and measuring deformation of the pillow block; and

,

a control system communicatively coupled to the sensor, the control system configured to adjust a rotor blade in response to the deformation of the pillow block.

12. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the sensor measures strain of the pillow block.

13. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the sensor is mounted to the pillow block at a maximum deformation location.

14. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the pillow block further defines a mounting platform, and wherein the sensor is mounted to the pillow block on the mounting platform.

15. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the control system is configured to adjust a pitch of the rotor blade in response to the deformation of the pillow block.

16. A method for adjusting a bending moment of a shaft in a wind turbine, the method comprising:

measuring a deformation of a pillow block, the pillow block accepting the shaft therethrough; and

,

adjusting a rotor blade in response to the deformation of the pillow block.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the measuring step comprises measuring deformation due to bending of the shaft about a yaw axis.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the measuring step comprises measuring deformation due to bending of the shaft about a tilt axis.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the deformation is a strain.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the deformation is measured at a maximum deformation location on the pillow block.