US 12,241,452 B2
System and method for monitoring rotor blade health of a wind turbine
Lijun He, Schenectady, NY (US); Mohammad Attia, Niskayuna, NY (US); Biao Fang, Clifton Park, NY (US); Liwei Hao, Niskayuna, NY (US); Karim Younsi, Ballston Lake, NY (US); and Honggang Wang, Clifton Park, NY (US)
Assigned to GE Infrastructure Technology LLC, Greenville, SC (US)
Appl. No. 17/783,356
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 17, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/066694
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 8, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/126162, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0011028 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. F03D 17/00 (2016.01); F03D 80/50 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 17/00 (2016.05) [F03D 80/50 (2016.05)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for monitoring at least one rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
implementing, via a controller, a control scheme for monitoring blade damage of the at least one rotor blade, the control scheme comprising:
monitoring pitch motor current of a pitch system of the wind turbine;
converting the pitch motor current of the pitch system into a frequency domain;
monitoring one or more blade natural frequency-related components in the frequency domain of the pitch motor current for a local peak, the one or more blade natural frequency-related components comprising an armature current for a DC motor and a torque-related current component for an AC motor;
determining a natural frequency deviation by determining a difference between the local peak and a given natural frequency of the rotor blade, wherein a natural frequency deviation outside of a predetermined frequency range is indicative of a rotor blade anomaly; and
implementing a control action when the natural frequency deviation is outside of the predetermined frequency range.