System and method for operating a wind turbine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsSuryarghya Chakrabarti, Youngwon Shin, John Joseph Mihok, Waad Hussain Subber
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Abstract
A system and method are provided for operating and maintaining a wind turbine. Accordingly, a plurality of data inputs are received. The plurality of data inputs represent a plurality of monitored attributes of a component of the wind turbine. A consolidated risk index for the component is determined using the plurality of monitored attributes, and a range of potential risk indices is forecasted. A remaining-useful-life distribution is determined based on the damage potential and an end-of-life damage threshold. The wind turbine is shut down or idled if the remaining-useful-life distribution is below a shutdown threshold.
Claims20
A method for operating a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- receiving, with a controller, a plurality of data inputs from at least one source, the plurality of data inputs representing a plurality of monitored attributes of a component of the wind turbine;
- determining, with the controller, a consolidated risk index for the component using the plurality of monitored attributes, the risk index defining a deviation from a nominal behavior of the component;
- forecasting, with the controller, a range of potential risk indices progressing from the consolidated risk index over a defined plurality of component cycles, wherein each potential risk index correlates to a damage potential;
- determining, with the controller, a remaining-useful-life distribution based on the damage potential and an end-of-life damage threshold;
- and
- shutting down or idling the wind turbine if the remaining-useful-life distribution is below a shutdown threshold.
A system for operating a wind turbine, comprising:
- at least one sensor operably coupled to a component of the wind turbine so as to detect an attribute of the component;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller comprising at least one processor configured to perform a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations comprising:
- receiving a plurality of data inputs from the at least one sensor, the plurality of data inputs representing a plurality of monitored attributes of the component,
- determining, via a risk-index module, a consolidated risk index for the component using the plurality of monitored attributes, the risk index defining a deviation from a nominal behavior of the component,
- forecasting, via a predictive module, a range of potential risk indices progressing from the consolidated risk index over a defined plurality of component cycles, wherein each potential risk index correlates to a damage potential,
- determining a remaining-useful-life distribution based on the damage potential and an end-of-life damage threshold, and
- shutting down or idling the wind turbine if the remaining-useful-life distribution is below a shutdown threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.