Methods for lubricating a pitch bearing of a wind turbine
AssigneeGE Vernova Renovables Espana, S.L.
InventorsEfren Albisu Iso, Pedro Arroyo Beltri, Louis Bond-Smith
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Abstract
Methods for lubricating a pitch bearing connecting a blade and a hub of a wind turbine include determining that lubricating the pitch bearing is to be carried out. The method further includes determining a top limit for a thrust gradient, the thrust gradient being a derivative of thrust with respect to time. Further, the method includes determining a pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing based at least partially on the top limit for the thrust gradient, and pitching the wind turbine blade at the determined pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing such that the top limit for the thrust gradient is not exceeded.
Claims20
A method for lubricating a pitch bearing connecting a wind turbine blade and a hub of a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a tower, the method comprising:
- determining that lubricating the pitch bearing is to be carried out;
- determining a top limit for a load gradient, the load gradient being a derivative of a load acting on the wind turbine blade or the tower with respect to time;
- determining a pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing based on the top limit for the load gradient;
- and
- pitching the wind turbine blade at the determined pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing such that the top limit for the load gradient is not exceeded.
A wind turbine, comprising:
- a blade;
- a hub, the blade mounted to the hub via a pitch bearing;
- a tower;
- a controller comprising a processor and a memory, the controller configured to perform the following:
- determine that lubricating the pitch bearing is to be carried out;
- determine a top limit for a load gradient, the load gradient being a derivative of a load acting on the blade or the tower with respect to time;
- determine a pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing based on the top limit for the load gradient;
- and
- pitch the blade at the determined pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing such that the top limit for the load gradient is not exceeded.
A method, comprising:
- determining that a pitch bearing connecting a blade and a hub of a wind turbine requires lubrication;
- determining a prevailing wind speed;
- determining a variation of thrust with respect to a pitch angle based at least partially on the prevailing wind speed;
- determining a pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing based on the variation of thrust with respect to the pitch angle and a maximum limit for a thrust gradient, the thrust gradient being a derivative of thrust with respect to time;
- and
- pitching the blade at the determined pitch rate for lubricating the pitch bearing such that the maximum limit for the thrust gradient is not exceeded.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.