System and Method for Application of a Brake for a Wind Turbine

A wind turbine, comprising:

• a rotor with a plurality of rotor blades configured thereon, the rotor connected to a generator via a drive train;
• the drive train comprising a low speed shaft coupled to an input of a gear box, and a high speed shaft coupled to an output of the gearbox;
• a brake configured with the high speed shaft;
• a low speed shaft sensor disposed in the drivetrain to detect rotational speed of the low speed shaft;
• a controller configured with the brake and to receive an input signal corresponding to rotational speed of the high speed shaft, wherein upon the high speed shaft reaching a predefined rotational speed, the controller generates an activate signal to activate the brake under a braking condition that calls for the rotor to come to a complete standstill;
• and
• an interlock system in communication with the low speed shaft sensor and the controller, the interlock system configured to override the activate signal when the rotational speed of the low speed shaft is above a threshold value.