US 12,480,471 B2
Method for reducing noise from wind turbine gearbox vibrations
Peter Mongeau, Center Conway, NH (US); Kent Tange, Ry (DK); and Nalliboyana Dharmaraju, Dortmund (DE)
Assigned to VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
Appl. No. 18/723,321
Filed by VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
PCT Filed Dec. 21, 2022, PCT No. PCT/DK2022/050301
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 21, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/117019, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 29, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/337,756, filed on May 3, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/292,327, filed on Dec. 21, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PA202200015 (DK), filed on Jan. 10, 2022; application No. PA202270232 (DK), filed on May 3, 2022; and application No. PA202270296 (DK), filed on Jun. 2, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0154931 A1, May 15, 2025
Int. Cl. F03D 7/02 (2006.01); F03D 15/00 (2016.01); F03D 17/00 (2016.01); H02P 9/02 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 7/0298 (2023.08) [F03D 7/0296 (2013.01); F03D 15/00 (2016.05); F03D 17/017 (2023.08); F03D 17/033 (2023.08); H02P 9/02 (2013.01); F05B 2260/96 (2013.01); F05B 2270/327 (2013.01); F05B 2270/334 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling operation of a generator for a wind turbine, the method comprising:
obtaining a measure for a rotational speed of the generator,
obtaining a measure for a shaft angle of the generator,
obtaining a measure for gearbox vibrations originating from gear tooth meshing of a gearbox of the wind turbine, at the rotational speed of the generator,
determining at least one amplitude of a harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
generating a torque modulating signal for the generator by:
selecting a gear tooth phase angle and an amplitude, based on the rotational speed of the generator, on initial characteristics of the wind turbine, and on the at least one amplitude of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
deriving a gear tooth angle estimator from the shaft angle of the generator and the gear tooth phase angle multiplied by a gearbox ratio of a gearbox stage of the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
generating an initial torque modulating signal for the generator specifying the gear tooth phase angle and the amplitude,
injecting the initial torque modulating signal into the generator and operating the generator based on the initial torque modulating signal, while monitoring a resultant vibration of vibrations originating from the gearbox and vibrations originating from the generator, corresponding to the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations,
adjusting the gear tooth phase angle of the torque modulating signal with respect to the gear tooth angle estimator and the amplitude of the torque modulating signal to fit with an actual position of the gearbox as well as with an actual position of the generator, based on the monitored resultant vibration, until a minimum in amplitude of the resultant vibration is reached, thereby obtaining an adjusted torque modulating signal, and
injecting the adjusted torque modulating signal into the generator, resulting in the resultant vibration of vibrations of the gearbox and vibrations of the generator, corresponding to the harmonic in the gearbox vibrations, being reduced.