IP Library Granted Patent US 10,018,184
Granted Patent B2
US 10,018,184 · App. 14/516,870 · Granted Jul 10, 2018

Method for detecting a state change of an installation

Inventors: Johannes Domke (Ludwigsburg, DE); Ralf Schmidt (Gerlingen, DE); Silas Klug (Lohmar-Birk, DE)
Assignee: WEIDMÜLLER MONITORING SYSTEMS GMBH
F03D11/0091F03D17/00F03D80/40Y02E10/72
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,018,184
App. No.
14/516,870
Granted
Jul 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for detecting a state of change of an installation includes rotating at least one first component around a rotatable connection using a drive such that at least part of the at least one first component carries out an oscillation. The at least one first component is mechanically connected to a second component via the rotatable connection. The method further includes recording the oscillation using a third component. The method includes investigating the recorded oscillation for changes based on a reference value. The method further includes detecting the state of change of the installation in reference to the changes to based on the reference value.

Claims (35)

1. A method for detecting a state change of an installation, the method comprising:

rotating at least one first component around a rotatable connection at a speed of not more than 1°/s, 2°/s, 3°/s, or 5°/s through an angle of not more than 0.4°, 0.5°, 1°, or 1.5° around the rotatable connection using a drive of the installation, such that at least part of the at least one first component carries out an oscillation, wherein the at least one first component is mechanically connected to a second component via the rotatable connection;

recording the oscillation using a third component;

investigating the recorded oscillation for changes based on a reference value; and

detecting the state change of the installation in reference to the changes based on the reference value.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

repeatedly reproducing the oscillation using the drive of the installation; and

recording the repeatedly reproduced oscillations using the third component.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one first component includes at least one rotor blade,

the third component includes an acceleration sensor, and

the acceleration sensor is mounted to the at least one rotor blade.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the third component includes a sensor configured to record at least one of an acceleration and a rate of rotation.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the sensor is connected to a computing unit.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one first component includes a rotor blade and the second component includes a hub of the installation,

the hub is rotatably mounted on a nacelle, and

the installation is a wind energy installation.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one first component includes at least one nacelle of the installation,

the second component is a tower of the installation,

a hub is rotatably mounted on the at least one nacelle, and

the installation is a wind energy installation.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the hub is stationary in reference to the nacelle during the rotating of the at least one first component around the rotatable connection.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is integrated in at least one of an installation controller and a condition monitoring system.

10. An installation controller for detecting a state change of a corresponding wind energy installation having (i) a nacelle, (ii) a hub configured to rotate about the nacelle, (iii) at least one rotor blade mechanically connected to the hub via a rotatable connection, (iv) a drive, and (v) a sensor, the installation controller comprising:

a computing unit configured (i) to detect that the hub is stationary with respect to the nacelle, (ii) to rotate the at least one rotor blade around the rotatable connection using the drive of the wind energy installation to cause at least part of the at least one rotor blade to carry out an oscillation when the hub is stationary with respect to the nacelle, (iii) to record the oscillation using the sensor, (iv) to investigate the recorded oscillation for changes based on a reference value, and (v) to detect the state change of the corresponding wind energy installation in reference to the changes based on the reference value.

11. The computing unit according to claim 10 , wherein the computing unit executes a computer program to detect the state change.

12. A method for detecting a state change of a wind energy installation including a nacelle, a hub configured to rotate about the nacelle, and at least one rotor blade extending from the hub, the method comprising:

detecting that the hub is stationary relative to the nacelle;

rotating at least one rotor blade around a rotatable connection to the hub using a pitch drive of the wind energy installation when the hub is stationary relative to the nacelle, the rotated at least one rotor blade carrying out an oscillation, wherein the at least one rotor blade defines a longitudinal axis about which the pitch drive rotates the at least one rotor blade;

recording the oscillation as a recorded oscillation value using a sensor configured to record at least one of an acceleration and a rate of rotation of the at least one rotor blade, the sensor mounted on the at least one rotor blade;

comparing the recorded oscillation value to a reference oscillation value; and

detecting the state change of the wind energy installation based on a divergence of the recorded oscillation value from the reference oscillation value when the hub is stationary relative to the nacelle.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein during the rotating of the at least one rotor blade the rate of rotation of the at least one rotor blade is not more than 5°/s through an angle of not more than 1.5° around the rotatable connection to cause the at least one rotor blade to carry out the oscillation.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2017
From: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
To: WEIDMÜLLER MONITORING SYSTEMS GMBH
Reel/Frame 041994/0997 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2015
From: DOMKE, JOHANNES; SCHMIDT, RALF; KLUG, SILAS
To: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Reel/Frame 034722/0647 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2013 221 401 · Oct 22, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150107343A1 · Apr 23, 2015