GYRO FOR STABILIZING WIND TURBINE MOVEMENTS

Abstract

Provided is a wind turbine including: a tower extending axially along a longitudinal axis, a nacelle and a rotor attached to an upper end of the tower, a gyroscope, a controller device for operating the gyroscope for stabilizing a movement and/or an oscillation of the wind turbine with respect to a spatial reference system.

Claims

1. A wind turbine comprising: a tower extending axially along a longitudinal axis, a nacelle and a rotor attached to an upper end of the tower, a gyroscope, a controller device for operating the gyroscope for stabilizing at least one of a movement and an oscillation of the wind turbine with respect to a spatial reference system.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine comprises a sensor for measuring any of a wind speed, wave speed, wave height, temperature and humidity, the controller device being configured for operating the gyroscope depending on an output of the sensor.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the gyroscope is attached on the nacelle.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 1, wherein the gyroscope is housed inside the nacelle or the tower.

5. A method of stabilizing a wind turbine during installation or maintenance comprising the steps of: detachably attaching a gyroscope to the wind turbine, operating the gyroscope for stabilizing a movement and/or an oscillation of the wind turbine with respect to a spatial reference system.

6. The method according to claim 5, the method further includes the steps: obtaining a measurement of any of a wind speed, wave speed, wave height, temperature and humidity, performing the operating the gyroscope depending on the value of such measurement.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein after stabilization of the wind turbine the method further includes the steps of: exchanging one or more components of the wind turbine, deactivating the gyroscope, detaching and removing the gyroscope from the wind turbine.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the one or more components of the wind turbine to be exchanged include any of a blade, a rotor hub, an electric generator, a main shaft, a main bearing and a gearbox.

9. The method according to claim 6, spatial reference system is fixed with respect to a foundation of the wind turbine.

10. The method according to claim 6, spatial reference system is fixed with respect to a lifting or a handling device for handling the one or more components of the wind turbine to be exchanged.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0034] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following FIGURES, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a schematic section of a wind turbine according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 1 comprising a tower 2, which is mounted on a non-depicted foundation. A nacelle 3 is arranged on top of the tower 2.

[0037] The wind turbine 1 may be an inland or an offshore wind turbine.

[0038] The wind turbine 1 further comprises a wind rotor 5 having a rotor hub 6 and two, three or more blades 4 (in the perspective of FIG. 1 only two blades 4 are visible). The wind rotor 5 is rotatable around a rotational longitudinal axis Y. The blades 4 extend radially with respect to the rotational axis Y.

[0039] The wind turbine 1 comprises a permanent magnet electric generator 11.

[0040] The wind rotor 5 is rotationally coupled with the permanent magnet generator 11 either directly or by means of a rotatable main shaft 9 and through a gearbox (not shown). A schematically depicted bearing assembly 8 is provided in order to hold in place the main shaft 9 and the rotor 5. The rotatable main shaft 9 extends along the rotational axis Y.

[0041] The permanent magnet electric generator 11 includes a stator 20 and a rotor 30. The rotor 30 is rotatable with respect to the stator 20 about the rotational axis Y.

[0042] The nacelle 3 includes a gyroscope 40. The gyroscope 40 may be installed inside or outside the nacelle 3.

[0043] According to other embodiments of the present invention (not shown) the gyroscope 40 may be attached to the tower 2.

[0044] The gyroscope is a conventional device used for maintaining a position or orientation with respect to an axis. A gyroscope includes at least a mass rotating around an axis of rotation, which may be oriented as desired. When rotating, the orientation of axis of rotation of the gyroscope is unaffected by tilting or rotation of the element to which the gyroscope is attached, according to the conservation of angular momentum.

[0045] The wind turbine 1 further includes a controller device 50 (schematically represented by a rectangular block in FIG. 1) for operating the gyroscope 40.

[0046] The gyroscope 40 is operated, e.g. by orienting the axis of rotation of the rotating mass, for stabilizing a movement and/or an oscillation of the wind turbine 1 with respect to a spatial reference system 60 (schematically represented by a Cartesian system in FIG. 1).

[0047] The spatial reference system 60 may be fixed with respect to a foundation of the wind turbine 1, which may be an inland foundation or an offshore floating foundation.

[0048] According to other embodiments of the present invention, the spatial reference system 60 is fixed with respect to a lifting or a handling device for handling the one or more components of the wind turbine 1 to be exchanged.

[0049] The wind turbine 1 further includes a sensor 70 (schematically represented by a rectangular block in FIG. 1) for providing an output measured value to the controller device 50. The controller device 50 is configured for operating the gyroscope 40 depending on such output of the sensor 70.

[0050] The sensor 70 may be used for measuring wind speed and/or wave speed and/or wave height and/or temperature and/or humidity or similar variables of the local environment of the wind turbine, which may be related to the movements or oscillations of the wind turbine 1, in particular of the nacelle 3 and/or the tower 2.

[0051] The connections between the gyroscope 40, the controller device 50 and sensor 70 are schematically represented by dashed lines in FIG. 1.

[0052] The controller device 50 may be controlled automatically through the output of the sensor 70 and/or manually by an operator through a control panel/switchboard or tablet device or mobile computer or similar.

[0053] A method of stabilizing the wind turbine 1 during installation or maintenance comprises the following steps: [0054] detachably attaching the gyroscope 40 to the wind turbine 1 (in particular to the nacelle 3 or the tower 2), [0055] operating the gyroscope 40 for stabilizing a movement and/or an oscillation of the wind turbine 1 with respect to the spatial reference system 60, [0056] exchanging one or more components of the wind turbine 1, [0057] deactivating the gyroscope 40, [0058] detaching and removing the gyroscope 40 from the wind turbine 1.

[0059] The gyroscope 40 is detachably attached inside or outside the nacelle 3.

[0060] According to other embodiments of the method of the present invention, the gyroscope 40 is detachably attached inside or outside the tower 2.

[0061] Both the gyroscope 40 and the one or more components of the wind turbine 1 to be exchanged may be handles through a crane, e.g. a vessel crane for offshore application, or other similar and conventional lifting and handling devices (not shown in the attached FIG. 1).

[0062] The method above described may be used to exchange the blades 4 the rotor hub 6 the electric generator 11 the main shaft 9, the main bearing 8, the gearbox and any other component of the wind turbine 1, in particular any other component of relevant dimensions of the nacelle 3.

[0063] 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 intention.

[0064] 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. The mention of a unit or a module does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.