System and method for thermal monitoring of a large rolling bearing

A wind turbine, comprising:

• at least one rotor blade;
• at least one rotor hub;
• at least one rolling element bearing;
• and
• at least one system for monitoring the at least one rolling element bearing;
• wherein the at least one system for monitoring the at least one rolling element bearing includes:
• a first temperature sensor is positioned in the environment of the at least one rolling element bearing to detect an environmental temperature;
• a second temperature sensor is positioned at a highly loaded region along a circumference of the at least one rolling element bearing, adjacent to a rolling surface of the at least one rolling element bearing, to detect a load temperature;
• and
• a third temperature sensor is positioned at a less loaded or unloaded region along the circumference of the at least one rolling element bearing, adjacent to a rolling surface of the at least one rolling element bearing, to detect an idling temperature;
• and
• an evaluation device that is configured to evaluate the state of the at least one rolling element bearing based on detected environmental temperatures, detected load temperatures, and detected idling temperatures.

A method of monitoring a rolling element bearing of a wind turbine, the method comprising the steps:

• detecting a plurality of temperatures, at least one being
• an environmental temperature in an environment of the rolling element bearing;
• a load temperature at a highly loaded region along a circumference of the rolling element bearing, adjacent to a rolling surface of the rolling element bearing;
• an idling temperature at a less loaded or unloaded region along the circumference of the rolling element bearing, adjacent to a rolling surface of the rolling element bearing;
• and
• evaluating the state of the rolling element bearing based on the detected temperatures.