Methods for scheduling the replacement of wind turbine batteries and related systems

• US 9,228,568 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Edenfeld, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/786,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183, 702/185
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 80/50 Maintenance or repair
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/42 Storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/325 Air temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A method for scheduling the replacement of wind turbine batteries is disclosed. The method may include monitoring an air temperature of a location at which a battery is stored within a wind turbine, determining with a controller a predicted lifetime for the battery based on the air temperature and determining when to replace the battery based at least in part on the predicted lifetime.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling the replacement of wind turbine batteries, the method comprising:

monitoring an air temperature of a location at which a battery is stored within a wind turbine;

determining with a controller a predicted lifetime for the battery based on the monitored air temperature; and

determining when to replace the battery based at least in part on the predicted lifetime.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery is stored within a hub of the wind turbine, wherein monitoring an air temperature of a location at which a battery is stored within a wind turbine comprises monitoring the air temperature within the hub.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the battery comprises a pitch battery of the wind turbine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining with a controller a predicted lifetime for the battery based on the monitored air temperature comprises modifying a baseline lifetime of the battery based on the monitored air temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a predicted lifetime for the battery based on the monitored air temperature comprises continuously updating the predicted lifetime for the battery over time based on the monitored air temperature.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the predicted lifetime to a minimum lifetime threshold associated with the battery.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the battery is initially scheduled to be replaced on a predetermined date, wherein determining when to replace the battery based at least in part on the predicted lifetime comprises scheduling a new replacement date for the battery when the predicted lifetime has fallen or will fall below the minimum lifetime threshold prior to the predetermined date.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the battery is initially scheduled to be replaced on a predetermined date, wherein determining when to replace the battery based at least in part on the predicted lifetime comprises determining to replace the battery on the predetermined date when the predicted lifetime will not fall below the minimum lifetime threshold prior to the predetermined date.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the minimum lifetime threshold ranges from about 5% to about 25% of a baseline lifetime of the battery.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a battery test on the battery.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wind turbine comprises at least one additional battery, wherein determining when to replace the battery based at least in part on the predicted lifetime comprises determining whether to replace both the battery and the at least one additional battery based on the predicted lifetime when the battery fails the battery test.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting a frequency at which the battery test is performed on the battery based on the predicted lifetime.

13. A system for predicting the remaining lifetime of wind turbine batteries, the system comprising:

a battery configured to supply power to a component of the wind turbine;

a temperature sensor configured to measure an air temperature of a location at which the battery is stored within the wind turbine; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the temperature sensor, the controller being configured to determine a predicted lifetime for the battery based on the air temperature measurements provided by the temperature sensor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the battery comprises a pitch battery configured to supply power to a pitch adjustment mechanism of the wind turbine, the temperature sensor being configured to measure the air temperature within a hub of the wind turbine.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to perform a battery test on the battery by pitching a rotor blade associated with the pitch adjustment mechanism across a range of pitch angles.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to determine the predicted lifetime by modifying a baseline lifetime of the battery based on the air temperature measurements.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to continuously update the predicted lifetime over time based on the air temperature measurements.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to compare the predicted lifetime to a minimum lifetime threshold associated with the battery.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the minimum lifetime threshold ranges from about 5% to about 25% of a baseline lifetime of the battery.

20. A wind turbine comprising:

a tower;

a nacelle mounted on the tower;

a rotor coupled to the nacelle, the rotor including a hub and at least one rotor blade extending from the hub;

a pitch adjustment mechanism configured to pitch the at least one rotor blade;

a pitch battery configured to supply power to the pitch adjustment mechanism;

a temperature sensor configured to measure an air temperature within the hub; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the temperature sensor, the controller being configured to determine a predicted lifetime for the pitch battery based on the air temperature measurements provided by the temperature sensor.