US 12,448,948 B1
System and method for monitoring vibrations in a drivetrain of a wind turbine
Ian Couchman, Horley (GB); Till Hoffmann, Osnabrueck (DE); and Thomas Franklin Perley, Bluffton, SC (US)
Assigned to GE Vernova Infrastructure Technology LLC, Greenville, SC (US)
Filed by GE Infrastructure Technology LLC, Greenville, SC (US)
Filed on Sep. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/893,255.
Int. Cl. F03D 7/02 (2006.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.01); F03D 15/00 (2016.01); G01C 19/00 (2013.01)
CPC F03D 7/0298 (2023.08) [F03D 7/0264 (2013.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.05); F03D 15/00 (2016.05); G01C 19/00 (2013.01); F05B 2220/706 (2013.01); F05B 2260/964 (2013.01); F05B 2270/32 (2013.01); F05B 2270/327 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for damping drivetrain vibrations of a wind turbine, the drivetrain having, at least, a rotor and a generator, the method comprising:
receiving a first rotational speed signal at a first location along the drivetrain, the first rotational speed signal being a proxy for rotor speed of the rotor;
receiving a second rotational speed signal at a second location along the drivetrain, the second location being downwind from the first location, the second rotational speed signal being a proxy for generator speed of the generator;
determining a speed error based on a comparison of the first and second rotational speed signals;
determining a torque deviation signal for the wind turbine configured to dampen the drivetrain vibrations when the speed error exceeds a first speed threshold; and
applying the torque deviation signal to the generator to dampen the drivetrain vibrations by reducing the speed error.