Method for operating a wind turbine, a method for designing a wind turbine, and a wind turbine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
InventorsPeter Gauchel, Jacob Johannes Nies
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method (1000-1004) for operating a wind turbine (10, 11) including a drive train (64) including a generator (42) and a rotor shaft (44) mechanically connected with the generator (42) and having an axis (30) of rotation, and a rotor (18) having rotor blades (22-22c). The rotor (18) is mechanically connected with the rotor shaft (44) and rotatable about the axis (30) of rotation. The method (1000-1004) includes determining (1100) that the generator (42) is not operating in a power generating mode, and operating (1200) the rotor (18) to move around a predefined desired angular orientation (αdes) with respect to the axis (30) of rotation in an alternating fashion.
Claims16
1-15. (canceled)
A method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine having a drive train including a generator, a rotor shaft mechanically connected with the generator and having an axis (30) of rotation, and a rotor having rotor blades mechanically connected with the rotor shaft and rotatable about the axis of rotation, the method comprising:
- determining that the generator is not operating in a power generating mode;
- and
- operating the rotor to move around a predefined desired angular orientation (αdes) with respect to the axis of rotation in an alternating fashion.
A method for designing a wind turbine having a supporting structure, a drive train supported by the supporting structure, the drive train including a generator with a rotor shaft mechanically connected thereto and having an axis of rotation, and a rotor having rotor blades and mechanically connected with the rotor shaft, the method comprising:
- for a given configuration of the wind turbine wherein the generator is not operating in a power generating mode, determining a desired angular orientation (αdes) of the rotor with respect to the axis of rotation so that a predefined measure for mechanical loads (M, F) acting on the drive train or the supporting structure is expected to be lower when the rotor is at the desired angular orientation (αdes) than in another angular orientation of the rotor with respect to the axis (30) of rotation;
- and
- using the measure for the mechanical loads (M, F) to determine desired material properties or desired geometric properties of the configuration of the wind turbine so that the wind turbine is expected to safely withstand the wind when the rotor is operated at the desired angular orientation (αdes) even if a speed of the wind reaches an expected maximum value or is fluctuating.
A wind turbine, comprising:
- a drive train comprising a generator and a rotor shaft mechanically connected with the generator, the rotor shaft having an axis of rotation;
- a rotor comprising rotor blades, the rotor mechanically connected with the rotor shaft and rotatable about the axis of rotation;
- t least one device (D) for influencing a rotational movement of the rotor about the axis (30) of rotation;
- and
- a controller connected with the generator and the at least one device (D), the generator and configured to:
- determine that the generator is not operating in a power generating mode;
- and
- operating the rotor to move around a predefined desired angular orientation (αdes) with respect to the axis of rotation in an alternating fashion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.