AUTOMATIC MONITORING OF A FLUID FILLED DAMPER OF A WIND TURBINE

Abstract

A method for monitoring a fluid filled damper of a wind turbine is provided. The method for monitoring a fluid filled damper of a wind turbine includes the steps of measuring a pressure value inside a fluid filled damper of the wind turbine, comparing the pressure value with a predetermined threshold value and initiating an idle state of the rotor of the wind turbine if it is detected that the threshold value has been exceeded. Further, a leak monitoring device is described. Additionally, a wind turbine is provided.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a fluid filled damper of a wind turbine, comprising: measuring a pressure value inside the fluid filled damper of the wind turbine using a pressure measuring sensor, wherein an increase of a pressure in the fluid filled damper indicates that the fluid filled damper comprises a leak; comparing the pressure value (49-with a predetermined threshold value initiating an idle state of a rotor of the wind turbine if it is detected that the predetermined threshold value has been exceeded and the leak is detected.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid filled damper comprises a fluid container comprising a damper fluid and a vacuum.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure measuring sensor is installed in the fluid filled damper.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure measuring sensor comprises a pressure transducer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a comparison between pressure value and the predetermined threshold value is performed by a control unit.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the control unit comprises a programmable control unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the programmable control unit comprises a turbine safety programmable logic controller.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is used for initiating the idle state of the rotor of the wind turbine.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wind turbine comprises a tower and the fluid filled damper is installed in the tower of the wind turbine.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the idle state of the rotor of the wind turbine is initiated by controlling a safe pitch system installed on the rotor of the wind turbine.

11. A leak monitoring device, comprising: a pressure measuring sensor for measuring a pressure value inside a fluid filled damper of a wind turbine, wherein an increase of a pressure in the fluid filled damper indicates that the fluid filled damper comprises a leak; and a control unit for comparing the pressure value with a predetermined threshold value and for initiating an idle state of a rotor of the wind turbine if it is detected that the predetermined threshold value has been exceeded and the leak is detected.

12. The leak monitoring device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises a turbine safety programmable logic controller.

13. A wind turbine, comprising: a wind turbine nacelle; a tower on which the wind turbine nacelle is arranged; a rotor rotatable mounted on the wind turbine nacelle; a fluid filled damper installed in the tower; the leak monitoring device according to claim 11; and a safe pitch system, which is arranged to be initiated by the leak monitoring device based on a measured pressure value in the fluid filled damper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0023] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross view of a wind turbine according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart illustrating a method for monitoring a fluid filled damper of a tower of a wind turbine according to the invention; and

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrating a leak monitoring device according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In FIG. 1, a schematic cross view of a wind turbine 10 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. The wind turbine 10 comprises a tower 8, on which a nacelle 7 with a wind propeller, i.e. a rotor 5 is installed. The upper portion of the tower 8 includes a plurality of fluid filled dampers 1, in particular fluid filled damper containers, containing a fluid and being evacuated. Further, inside each of these fluid damper containers, a pressure measuring sensor 2, which is arranged to measure a pressure value PV in the assigned fluid damper container, is installed. Each of these pressure measuring sensors 2 are electrically connected to a control unit 3, in particular a turbine safety PLC. The control unit 3 determines whether a predefined differential pressure threshold TH is exceeded by the measured pressure value PV and if the threshold TH is exceeded, a dedicated safe pitch system 4 is controlled by the control unit 3 such that the wind turbine 10 is brought into an idle safe state. The signal for initiating the idle safe state is transmitted through a contactor 3a between the nacelle 7 and the rotor 5.

[0028] In FIG. 2, there is shown a flow chart 200 depicting a method for monitoring a fluid filled damper 1 of a wind turbine 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. In step 2.I, a fluid filled damper 1 is monitored using a pressure measuring sensor 2. In step 2.II the measured pressure value PV is transmitted from the pressure measuring sensor 2 to a control unit 3, in particular a turbine safety PLC. In step 2.III the control unit 3 compares the received pressure value PV with a predetermined threshold value TH. If the threshold value TH is exceeded by the pressure value PV, which is symbolized in FIG. 2 by n, in step 2.IV, the wind turbine 10 is brought into an idle safe state IS by sending a control signal from the control unit 3 to a safe pitch system 4 of the wind turbine. If the threshold value TH is not exceeded by the pressure value PV, which is symbolized in FIG. 2 by y, the monitoring of the fluid filled damper 1 is continued with step 2.I.

[0029] In FIG. 3, a block diagram illustrating a leak monitoring device 6 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. The leak monitoring device 6 comprises a plurality of pressure measuring sensors 2, wherein each of these pressure measuring sensors 2 is installed in a fluid filled damper 1 (shown in FIG. 1). The pressure measuring sensors 2 are electrically connected to a control unit 3, in particular a turbine safety PLC, which compares measurement values, i.e. pressure values PV with a threshold value TH. Further, the leak monitoring device 6 comprises also two contactors 3a, which are contactors between the stationary nacelle 7 of the wind turbine 10 and the rotor 5 of the wind turbine 10 (shown in FIG. 1). These contactors 3a are redundant for increasing the robustness of the safe pitch system in case one of the contactors 3a fails. For that reason, two contactors 3a are installed. Furthermore, on the rotor 5 of the wind turbine 10, a safe pitch system 4 is arranged for changing the state of the rotor 5 of the wind turbine 10 into an idle state if a leak was detected by the control unit 3.

[0030] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of 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.

[0031] 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.