US 12,258,939 B2
System and method for monitoring damage of a bearing for a wind turbine
Dhanesh Chandrashekar Pathuvoth, Bengaluru (IN); and Vidyashankar Ramasastry Buravalla, Bengaluru (IN)
Assigned to General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed by General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/083,720.
Prior Publication US 2024/0200535 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
Int. Cl. F03D 17/00 (2016.01); F03D 80/70 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 17/013 (2023.08) [F03D 17/00 (2016.05); F03D 80/70 (2016.05)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for monitoring damage of a slewing ring bearing of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
arranging at least one optical fiber sensor adjacent to at least one of an inner race or an outer race of the slewing ring bearing;
receiving, via a controller, signals from the at least one optical fiber sensor indicative of one or more changes associated with the slewing ring bearing;
comparing, via the controller, the one or more changes associated with the slewing ring bearing to a damage threshold;
implementing, via the controller, a control action when the one or more changes exceeds the damage threshold to prevent or minimize further damage from occurring to the slewing ring bearing; and
wherein the wind turbine includes a hub with a hub wall that defines an engagement region around an opening to an internal hub cavity, the slewing ring bearing mounted in the opening, the method comprising arranging the optical fiber sensor on an outer surface of the engagement region of the hub wall radially outward of and adjacent the slewing ring bearing or to an inner surface of the engagement region of the hub wall within the hub cavity radially outward of and adjacent the slewing ring bearing.