Condition monitoring system for wind turbine generator and method for operating wind turbine generator

1. A method for operating a wind turbine generator, said method comprising:

generating a plurality of rotor shaft angular displacement values by rotating a plurality of toothed wheels coupled to a rotor shaft;

determining a torsional moment within the rotor shaft; and,

modulating at least one of a wind turbine generator yaw orientation and a blade pitch orientation as a function of the determined torsional moment.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein modulating at least one of a wind turbine generator yaw orientation and a blade pitch orientation as a function of the determined torsional moment comprises one of:

facilitating electric power generation; and,

facilitating reduction of wind turbine generator component wear.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein facilitating electric power generation comprises selecting a power generation priority mode, thereby favoring electric power generation of the wind turbine generator in contrast to decreasing wear on wind turbine generator components.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein facilitating reduction of wind turbine generator component wear comprises selecting a component wear priority mode, thereby favoring decreasing wear on wind turbine generator components in contrast to electric power generation of the wind turbine generator.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

generating a plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity signals;

differentiating each of the plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity signals, thereby generating a plurality of rotor shaft angular acceleration signals; and,

comparing at least one of the plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity signals to each other and the plurality of angular acceleration signals to each other.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein comparing at least one of the plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity signals to each other and the plurality of angular acceleration signals to each other comprises generating the plurality of rotor shaft angular displacement values.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 , wherein determining a torsional moment within a rotor shaft comprises:

determining a difference between the plurality of rotor shaft angular displacement values; and,

determining a torsional deformation of the rotor shaft.

8. A wind turbine generator condition monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity sensors, each of said plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity sensors coupled to a rotor shaft at a predetermined distance and comprising a plurality of teeth having a predetermined size and a predetermined spacing therebetween; and,

at least one processor coupled to said plurality of rotor shaft velocity sensors, said at least one processor programmed to determine an angular displacement of the rotor shaft as a function of a difference between each of said plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity sensors, an output of said at least one processor including at least one of a wind turbine generator yaw orientation signal and a wind turbine generator blade pitch orientation signal.

9. A wind turbine condition monitoring system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said at least one processor is programmed to determine a predetermined mode of operation.

10. A wind turbine condition monitoring system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said predetermined mode of operation comprises at least one of:

a power generation priority mode; and,

a component wear priority mode.

11. A wind turbine condition monitoring system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said power generation priority mode facilitates electric power generation of the wind turbine generator in contrast to decreasing wear on wind turbine generator components.

12. A wind turbine condition monitoring system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said component wear priority mode facilitates decreasing wear on wind turbine generator components in contrast to electric power generation of the wind turbine generator.

13. A wind turbine generator comprising:

a rotor shaft; and,

a condition monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity sensors, each of said plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity sensors coupled to said rotor shaft at a predetermined distance and comprising a plurality of teeth having a predetermined size and a predetermined spacing therebetween; and,

at least one processor coupled to said plurality of rotor shaft velocity sensors, said at least one processor programmed to determine an angular displacement of the rotor shaft as a function of a difference between each of said plurality of rotor shaft angular velocity sensors, an output of said at least one processor including at least one of a wind turbine generator yaw orientation signal and a wind turbine generator blade pitch orientation signal.

14. A wind turbine generator in accordance with claim 13 , wherein said at least one processor is programmed to determine a predetermined mode of operation.

15. A wind turbine generator in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said predetermined mode of operation comprises at least one of:

a power generation priority mode; and,

a component wear priority mode.

16. A wind turbine generator in accordance with claim 15 , wherein said power generation priority mode facilitates electric power generation of the wind turbine generator in contrast to decreasing wear on wind turbine generator components.

17. A wind turbine generator in accordance with claim 15 , wherein said component wear priority mode facilitates decreasing wear on wind turbine generator components in contrast to electric power generation of the wind turbine generator.

18. A wind turbine generator in accordance with claim 13 , further comprising:

a plurality of blade pitch drive mechanisms configured to receive the wind turbine generator blade pitch orientation signal; and,

a yaw drive mechanism configured to receive the wind turbine generator yaw orientation signal.