Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/s

Eirik Nagel

John Nieuwenhuizen

A method of determining a blade clearance during operation of a wind turbine is provided, the blade clearance corresponding to a distance between a rotor blade and a tower of the wind turbine. The method includes (a) detecting a rotor blade velocity, (b) emitting a first signal from an observer location, the first signal having a first frequency, (c) receiving a second signal at the observer location, the second signal being reflected from the rotor blade when the first signal impinges on the rotor blade, (d) determining a Doppler shift of the second signal relative to the first signal, and (e) determining the blade clearance based on the first frequency, the Doppler shift, the observer location, and the rotor blade velocity, wherein the step of determining the blade clearance utilizes a mathematical model. A corre-sponding system and a wind turbine comprising such a system are also provided.

Detecting rotor blade clearance in a wind turbine using doppler shift and a mathematical model

A wind turbine which is configured to be disposed in or above a sea floor is provided. The wind turbine includes a tower configured to protrude from a sea level and having a transmitter configured to transmit an electromagnetic wave to be reflected on the sea level and a receiver configured to receive the reflected electromagnetic wave, wherein at least one of the transmitter and the receiver includes a leaky feeder; and a processing unit being in communication with the receiver and configured to analyse the reflected electromagnetic wave such that a wave characteristic of the sea level is determined.

Wind turbine with sea level wave characteristic determination

Provided is an apparatus for detecting properties of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus including: at least one leaky feeder configured to be arranged around the tower, an electromagnetic transmitter connected to the at least one leaky feeder and configured for transmitting a first electromagnetic signal along the at least one leaky feeder, a reflector for diverting and/or focusing the first electromagnetic signal in a predetermined direction, thereby forming a reflected first electromagnetic signal, an electromagnetic receiver connected to the at least one leaky feeder and configured for receiving a second electromagnetic signal from the at least one leaky feeder, the second electromagnetic signal being reflected from the rotor blade, and a processing unit connected to the electromagnetic transmitter and the electromagnetic receiver and configured to determine the properties of the rotor blade by analysing the first electromagnetic signal and the second electromagnetic signal.

Apparatus for and method of detecting one or more properties of a rotor blade during operation of a wind turbine

A wind turbine has an object position and/or speed detection device including: at least one leaky feeder, at least one electromagnetic transmitter connected to the least one leaky feeder for transmitting a first electromagnetic signal along the at least one leaky feeder towards a target object, whose position is to be detected, at least one electromagnetic receiver connected to the least one leaky feeder for receiving from the at least one leaky feeder a second electromagnetic signal, the second electromagnetic signal reflected from the target object when the first electromagnetic signal hits the target object, a processing unit connected to the electromagnetic transmitter and the electromagnetic receiver and configured to analyze the first electromagnetic signal and the second electromagnetic signal for determining the position and/or speed and/or direction and/or the size of the target object.

Device for a wind turbine

Provided is a wind turbine, including a hollow tower carrying a nacelle, and at least one power electronics component emitting electromagnetic waves during operation, in particular an inverter located at the bottom of the tower, wherein the tower acts as a wave guide for an electromagnetic wave generated by the power electronics component, wherein the tower comprises at least one absorber element at least reducing the transport of the electromagnetic wave of the power electronics component along the tower.

Growing community of inventors

Flensburg, Germany

Eirik Nagel