Wind turbine monitoring device, wind turbine system, and wind turbine monitoring method

A wind turbine system, comprising:

• a wind turbine comprising a wind turbine blade;
• and
• a wind turbine monitoring device for monitoring a wind turbine including a lightning sensor for detecting a lightning strike on the wind turbine blade, the wind turbine monitoring device, comprising:
• a lightning parameter acquisition part configured to acquire at least one lightning parameter based on an output of the lightning sensor;
• a lightning level determination part configured to determine a level of the lightning strike based on the at least one lightning parameter acquired by the lightning parameter acquisition part;
• and
• an inspection control part configured to determine whether it is necessary to automatically inspect, without any manual operation, the wind turbine blade by at least one inspection unit for inspecting the wind turbine blade, according to the level of the lightning strike determined by the lightning level determination part, and
• wherein the inspection control part is configured to:
• when the level of the lightning strike is a first level, determine that it is unnecessary to automatically inspect the wind turbine blade by the at least one inspection unit;
• when the level of the lightning strike is a second level more severe than the first level, perform automatic inspection of the wind turbine blade by the at least one inspection unit;
• and
• when the level of the lightning strike is a third level more severe than the second level, instruct inspection of the wind turbine blade by a different type of inspection unit from the at least one inspection unit.

A wind turbine monitoring method for monitoring a wind turbine including a lightning sensor for detecting a lightning strike on a wind turbine blade, comprising:

• acquiring at least one lightning parameter based on an output of the lightning sensor;
• determining a level of the lightning strike based on the at least one lightning parameter;
• and
• determining whether it is necessary to automatically inspect, without any manual operation, the wind turbine blade by at least one inspection unit for inspecting the wind turbine blade, according to the level of the lightning strike, and
• wherein determining whether it is necessary to automatically inspect the wind turbine blade comprises:
• when the level of the lightning strike is a first level, determining that it is unnecessary to automatically inspect the wind turbine blade by the at least one inspection unit;
• when the level of the lightning strike is a second level more severe than the first level, performing automatic inspection of the wind turbine blade by the at least one inspection unit;
• and
• when the level of the lightning strike is a third level more severe than the second level, instruct inspection of the wind turbine blade by a different type of inspection unit from the at least one inspection unit.