Method for lubricating at least one blade pitch bearing of a wind turbine

• US 20130034439A1
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: BAUER, Oto, ESBENSEN, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,133,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0224 Adjusting blade pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/70 Bearing or lubricating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/98 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/52 with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2233/00 Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/31 Wind motors in general F03D
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6637 with liquid lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/6674 related to the amount supplied, e.g. gaps to restrict flow of the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/008 Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A method for lubricating at least one blade pitch bearing of a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor hub with a number of rotor blades, with each rotor blade being supported to the rotor hub by at least one blade pitch bearing. At least one rotor blade is pitchable and a rotor blade pitch control device adapted to control pitching of the at least one rotor blade. The state of lubrication of at least one blade pitch bearing by a lubrication detection device generating at least one lubrication information signal indicating a degree of lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing by measuring the electrical capacitance and/or resistance of the at least one blade pitch bearing. A rotor blade lubricating device is actuated to perform at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing, if the lubrication information signal indicates that the at least one blade pitch bearing is not sufficiently lubricated.

Claims

1. A method for lubricating at least one blade pitch bearing of a variable-pitch wind turbine comprising a rotor hub with a plurality of rotor blades, with each rotor blade being supported to the rotor hub by at least one blade pitch bearing, at least one rotor blade is pitchable and comprising a rotor blade pitch control device adapted to control pitching of the at least one rotor blade;

the method comprising;

determining a state of lubrication of at least one blade pitch bearing by a lubrication detection device;

generating at least one lubrication information signal indicating a degree of lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing by measuring the electrical capacitance and/or resistance of the at least one blade pitch bearing, and

actuating a rotor blade lubricating device to perform at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing when the lubrication information signal indicates that the at least one blade pitch bearing is not sufficiently lubricated;

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein determining the state of lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing includes determining the coating thickness of the lubricant between at least two components of the at least one blade pitch bearing moving relatively to each other.

3. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the lubrication information signal includes information that indicates the degree of wear of the at least one blade pitch bearing.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the rotor blade lubricating device injects additional lubricant into the at least one blade pitch bearing and/or actuates the rotor blade pitch control device to change the pitch angle of at least one rotor blade in order to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the rotor blade lubricating device considers at least one internal parameter and/or at least one external parameter for performing the at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.

6. The method according to claim 5,

wherein temperature and/or pressure of a hydraulic oil and/or the speed of the rotor hub and/or the speed of the rotor of the power generating unit and/or pitch angles and/or generated power of a power generating unit of the wind turbine is considered as an internal parameter and wind speed and/or ambient temperature and/or ambient pressure and/or air density is considered as an external parameter.

7. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the lubrication information signal and/or lubricating parameters concerning at least one previous operation of the rotor blade lubricating device is stored in a memory unit, whereby the rotor blade lubricating device at least partially considers the data stored in the memory unit for performing the at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.

8. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the lubrication detection device generates at least one warning signal when the at least one lubrication information signal indicates that the lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing is not sufficient.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the at least one warning signal is generated when the rotor blade lubricating device already has performed at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.

10. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the lubrication detection device generates a stop signal for stopping the operation of the wind turbine when the at least one lubrication information signal indicates that the lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing is not sufficient.

11. The method according to claim 10,

wherein the lubrication detection device generates the stop signal when the rotor blade lubricating device already has performed at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.

12. A wind turbine adapted to execute the method according to claim 1, the wind turbine comprising:

a rotor hub comprising a plurality of rotor blades, with at least one rotor blade being supported to the rotor hub by at least one blade pitch bearing, and at least one rotor blade being pitchable around a rotor blade centre axis; and

a rotor blade pitch control device adapted to control the respective pitch angle of the at least one rotor blade; and

a lubrication detection device adapted to generate at least one lubrication information signal indicating the degree of lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing by measuring the electrical capacitance and/or resistance of the at least one blade pitch bearing,

wherein the lubrication detection device is configured to actuate a rotor blade lubricating device configured to perform at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing when the lubrication information signal indicates that the at least one blade pitch bearing is not sufficiently lubricated, and

wherein the rotor blade lubricating device and the rotor blade pitch control device communicatively coupled with each other.

13. The wind turbine according to claim 12,

wherein the rotor blade lubricating device is configured to inject additional lubricant into the at least one blade pitch bearing and/or actuate the rotor blade pitch control device to change the pitch angle of at least one rotor blade in order to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.

14. The wind turbine according to claim 12, comprising

a memory unit configured to store lubrication information and/or operational data concerning at least one previous operation of the rotor blade lubricating device,

wherein the rotor blade lubricating device and the memory unit being communicatively coupled with each other.

15. The wind turbine according to claim 12

wherein the lubrication detection device is configured to generate at least one warning signal when the at least one lubrication information signal indicates that the lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing is not sufficient.

16. The wind turbine according to claim 15

wherein the lubrication detection device is configured to generate the at least one warning signal when the rotor blade lubricating device already has performed at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.

17. The wind turbine according to claim 12

wherein the lubrication detection device is configured to generate a stop signal for stopping the operation of the wind turbine when the at least one lubrication information signal indicates that the lubrication of the at least one blade pitch bearing is not sufficient.

18. The wind turbine according to claim 17

wherein the lubrication detection device is configured to generate the stop signal when the rotor blade lubricating device already has performed at least one action to lubricate the at least one blade pitch bearing.