US 12,292,031 B1
System and method for detecting and responding to failures in a drivetrain of a wind turbine
Ian Couchman, Horley (GB); Till Hoffmann, Osnabrueck (DE); and Thomas Franklin Perley, Bluffton, SC (US)
Assigned to General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed by General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/628,949.
Int. Cl. F03D 17/00 (2016.01); F03D 7/02 (2006.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.01); F03D 15/00 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 17/014 (2023.08) [F03D 7/0204 (2013.01); F03D 7/0224 (2013.01); F03D 7/0264 (2013.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.05); F03D 15/00 (2016.05); F03D 17/033 (2023.08); F05B 2260/80 (2013.01); F05B 2270/327 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for detecting and responding to a failure in a drivetrain of a wind turbine, the drivetrain having, at least, a rotor and a generator, the method comprising:
estimating, via a controller, a first rotational speed signal at a first location along the drivetrain via one or more rate gyroscopes mounted in the wind turbine, the first rotational speed signal being a proxy for rotor speed of the rotor of the wind turbine;
receiving, via the controller, a second rotational speed signal at a second location along the drivetrain, the second location being downwind from the first location, the first and second locations being on opposing sides of a potential slip location of the drivetrain;
processing, via the controller, the first rotational speed signal using the second rotational speed signal to account for a bias in the first rotational speed signal resulting from estimating the first rotational speed signal via the one or more rate gyroscopes;
determining, via the controller, a speed error based on a comparison of the processed first rotational speed signal and the second rotational speed signal;
comparing, via the controller, the speed error to a threshold; and
implementing, via the controller, a control action for the wind turbine when the speed error exceeds the threshold.