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US 12,480,471 B2Granted
Method for reducing noise from wind turbine gearbox vibrations
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorsPeter Mongeau, Kent Tange, Nalliboyana Dharmaraju
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling operation of a generator for a wind turbine is disclosed. At least one amplitude of a harmonic in the gearbox vibrations is determined. A torque modulating signal for the generator is generated. A phase angle and the amplitude are adjusted during operation of the generator, until a minimum in amplitude of a resultant vibration is reached, thereby obtaining an adjusted torque modulating signal. The adjusted torque modulating signal is injected into the generator, resulting in the resultant vibration of vibrations of the gearbox and vibrations of the generator, corresponding to the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations, being reduced.
Claims20
A method for controlling operation of a generator for a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- obtaining a measure for a rotational speed of the generator,
- obtaining a measure for a shaft angle of the generator,
- obtaining a measure for gearbox vibrations originating from gear tooth meshing of a gearbox of the wind turbine, at the rotational speed of the generator,
- determining at least one amplitude of a harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
- generating a torque modulating signal for the generator by:
- selecting a gear tooth phase angle and an amplitude, based on the rotational speed of the generator, on initial characteristics of the wind turbine, and on the at least one amplitude of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
- deriving a gear tooth angle estimator from the shaft angle of the generator and the gear tooth phase angle multiplied by a gearbox ratio of a gearbox stage of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
- generating an initial torque modulating signal for the generator specifying the gear tooth phase angle and the amplitude,
- injecting the initial torque modulating signal into the generator and operating the generator based on the initial torque modulating signal, while monitoring a resultant vibration of vibrations originating from the gearbox and vibrations originating from the generator, corresponding to the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
- adjusting the gear tooth phase angle of the torque modulating signal with respect to the gear tooth angle estimator and the amplitude of the torque modulating signal to fit with an actual position of the gearbox as well as with an actual position of the generator, based on the monitored resultant vibration, until a minimum in amplitude of the resultant vibration is reached, thereby obtaining an adjusted torque modulating signal, and
- injecting the adjusted torque modulating signal into the generator, resulting in the resultant vibration of vibrations of the gearbox and vibrations of the generator, corresponding to the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations, being reduced.
8 more elements
A method for controlling operation of a generator for a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- obtaining a measure for a rotational speed of the generator,
- obtaining a measure for a shaft angle of the generator,
- obtaining a measure for gearbox vibrations originating from gear tooth meshing of a gearbox of the wind turbine, at the rotational speed of the generator,
- determining at least one amplitude of a harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
- selecting a gear tooth phase angle and an amplitude, based on the rotational speed of the generator, on initial characteristics of the wind turbine, and on the at least one amplitude of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
- deriving a gear tooth angle estimator from the shaft angle of the generator and the gear tooth phase angle multiplied by a gearbox ratio of a gearbox stage of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
- generating a torque modulating signal for the generator specifying the gear tooth phase angle and the amplitude, and
- injecting the torque modulating signal into the generator, resulting in a resultant vibration of vibrations of the gearbox and vibrations of the generator, corresponding to the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations, being reduced.
5 more elements
A method for controlling operation of a generator for a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- obtaining a measure for gearbox vibrations originating from a gear tooth meshing of a gearbox of the wind turbine, at a rotational speed of the generator;
- determining at least one amplitude of a harmonic in the gearbox vibrations;
- generating a torque modulating signal for the generator by:
- selecting a gear tooth phase angle and an amplitude, based on the rotational speed of the generator, on initial characteristics of the wind turbine, and on the at least one amplitude of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations;
- deriving a gear tooth angle estimator from a generator shaft angle position and the gear tooth phase angle multiplied by a gearbox ratio of a gearbox stage of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations;
- generating an initial torque modulating signal for the generator specifying the gear tooth phase angle and the amplitude;
- injecting the initial torque modulating signal into the generator and operating the generator based on the initial torque modulating signal, while monitoring vibrations originating from the gearbox and vibrations originating from the generator, corresponding to the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations;
- and
- adjusting the gear tooth phase angle of the torque modulating signal with respect to the gear tooth angle estimator and the amplitude of the torque modulating signal to fit with an actual position of the gearbox as well as with an actual position of the generator, based on a monitored resultant vibration, until a minimum in amplitude of the resultant vibration is reached, thereby obtaining an adjusted torque modulating signal;
- and
- injecting the adjusted torque modulating signal into the generator.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.