WIND TURBINE WITH WIND SENSOR

Abstract

A wind turbine including a rotor, a nacelle, a generator, and a wind sensor is provided, wherein the wind sensor is arranged above a part of the generator that extends between the rotor and the nacelle. Furthermore, a wind farm including a plurality of interconnected wind turbines is described. Yet further, a method of assembling or modifying a wind turbine is described.

Claims

1. A wind turbine comprising: a rotor; a nacelle; a generator; and a wind sensor, wherein the wind sensor is arranged above a part of the generator that extends between the rotor and the nacelle.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine is a direct drive wind turbine.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising a holding member, wherein the holding member is fastened to the nacelle and holds the wind sensor above the part of the generator that extends between the rotor and the nacelle.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 3, wherein the holding member is fastened to the nacelle by means of one or more beams.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the wind sensor is configured to output a sensor data signal indicative of at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: wind speed and wind direction.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising an analysis unit configured to analyze a sensor data signal received from the wind sensor.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 6, wherein the analysis unit is configured to apply an adaptive filtering algorithm to the sensor data signal in order to reduce influence of rotor blade disturbance.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 1, further comprising at least one further wind sensor arranged above the part of the generator that extends between the rotor and the nacelle and at a predetermined distance from the wind sensor.

9. A wind farm comprising a plurality of interconnected wind turbines according to claim 1.

10. A method of assembling or modifying a direct drive wind turbine, the method comprising: providing a wind turbine comprising a rotor, a nacelle, and a generator; and arranging a wind sensor above a part of the generator that extends between the rotor and the nacelle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0032] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine according an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a detailed front view of the wind turbine shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a detailed side view of the wind turbine shown in FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a detailed upper view of the wind turbine shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a holding member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The illustration in the drawing is schematic. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals or with reference numerals which differ only within the first digit.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 100 according an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, the wind turbine 100 comprises a tower 105 holding a rotor 110, nacelle 120, rotating generator part 130, and a wind sensor 140. The rotor or hub 110 comprises rotor blades 112, 114 and 116. On top of the nacelle 120, a platform 122 and a cooling device 124 are arranged as known in the art of direct drive wind turbines. The rotating generator part 130 is arranged between the rotor 110 and the nacelle 120 and is constituted by a tubular member equipped with magnets on its inside wall. The wind sensor 140 is held by a holding member (not shown, see FIGS. 2 to 5). The holding member is fastened to the nacelle 120 by beams 161, 162 and 163 in such a way that the wind sensor 140 is held in a position above the rotating generator part 130 between the nacelle 120 and the rotor 110, i.e. just behind the rotor 110.

[0040] FIGS. 2 to 4 respectively show a detailed front view, a detailed side view and a detailed upper view of the wind turbine shown 100 in FIG. 1. As schematically shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, an elongate holding member 150 for holding the wind sensor 140, here exemplified by sensor devices 142 and 144, is held in position above the rotating generator part 130 by beams 161, 162 and 163. The beams 161 and 162 extend from respective ends of the elongate holding member 150 to positions towards the respective sides on the upper part of the nacelle 120. The beam 163 extends between a central part of the elongate holding member 150 and a central part of an upper edge portion of the cooling device 124 of the nacelle 120. Thereby, the beams 161, 162 and 163 form a tripod supporting the holding member in the position above the rotating generator part 130 close to the rotor 110.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a holding member 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention, including the embodiment discussed above in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 4. More specifically, the holding member 150 is made of metal and formed as an elongate (i.e. bar-shaped) member having a substantially rectangular cross-section. The elongate holding member 150 comprises end portions 154 and 155 respectively equipped with connecting elements 151 and 152 for connecting with beams 161 and 162 (see FIGS. 1 to 4). The holding member 150 further comprises a central connecting element 153 for connecting with beam 163 (see FIGS. 1 to 4). Furthermore, the holding member 150 comprises a connecting element 156 formed as a stub, i.e. a short tubular piece, for receiving a wind sensor unit (not shown).

[0042] In operation of the wind turbine 100 shown entirely in FIG. 1 and partially in FIGS. 2 to 5, the wind sensor(s) 140, 142, 144 are positioned above the rotating generator part 120, i.e. just behind the rotor blades 112, 114, 116. Accordingly, the rotating blades 112, 114, 116 will impact the sensor output signals due to a shadowing effect. The parts (i.e. time segments) of the sensor output signals that are affected by the shadowing effect are preferably identified and disregarded by applying an adaptive filtering algorithm and optimized weighting to the sensor output data, for example as described by Torben Nielsen in “Tracking of Blade Disturbance by Adaptive Filtering and Optimized Weighting of Wind Measurements” (available at http://dx.doi.org/10.18169/PAPDEOTT004946). Thereby, the parts of the sensor signal which are representative of the actual parameter value, such as wind speed or wind direction, and not distorted by blade disturbances are extracted, such that reliable and accurate parameter values can be obtained.

[0043] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0044] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.