In situ balancing of wind turbines
AssigneeDynamic Rotor Balancing, Inc.
InventorOrla W. Larsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A slowly turning rotating mass, such as a wind turbine rotor, is balanced in situ by measuring the magnitude of a phenomenon, such as acceleration, created by rotor unbalance at a location on a mass support shaft which is close to the mass. The measurement of the phenomenon is made along a line selected to be insensitive to the bias of gravity on the mass. The measurement is made while the mass turns at its usual operating rate. The structure which supports the shaft is fixed as rigidly as possible in space while measurements of the phenomenon are made.
Claims9
A process for in situ balancing of a wind turbine rotor as a component of a wind-powered generator in which the rotor is carried on a substantially horizontal shaft in a generator nacelle which is rotatable about a substantially vertical yaw axis atop a supporting tower, the process including the steps of locking the nacelle to the tower independently of the presence of any mechanism for driving the nacelle about the yaw axis relative to the tower, and, while the nacelle is locked to the tower, measuring the value of a phenomenon the magnitude of which is indicative of unbalance of the rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.