General Electric Company

General Electric Renovables Espana, S.l.

Michael Garry

Gregory Clarence Thomas

Arianna Abram

Radislav Alexandrovich Potyrailo

Michael Royce Johnson

John Thomas Murphy

Rong Li

Priyangu Chunilal Patel

Robert Peter Slack

John Joseph Mihok

Jonathan Paul Signore

Subramani Adhiachari

James Edward Cencula

Hunter Ryan Anderson

Michael Frederick Sander

Lawrence Keith Taliaferro, Jr

Matteo Bellucci

Daniel Gomez Mora

Robert A McLeod

Nicholas Joseph Cleveland

Robert Mcleod

Nicolas Joseph Cleveland

Roberto Leal Rodriguez

Jorge Molinari

Richard Jenkins

Yash Dayashankar Jaiswal

The present disclosure relates to methods for rotating a locked rotor of a wind turbine in case of an imbalance in a rotor plane of the rotor, comprising: rotating the rotor using an inching tool to apply torque on a drive train of the wind turbine to reduce the imbalance in the rotor plane; and removing a locking pin from a locking disc operatively connected to the rotor after reducing the imbalance in the rotor plane. The methods further comprise estimating a direction of a torque load due to the imbalance in the rotor plane using one or more sensors, and impeding the inching tool to apply torque on the drive train of the wind turbine in the estimated direction of the torque load due to the imbalance. The present disclosure further relates to inching tools and to methods for installing rotor blades on a hub of a wind turbine.

Rotating unbalanced rotor hubs and installing wind turbine rotor blades

A main shaft assembly of a wind turbine and method for manufacturing the same are provided. Accordingly, the main shaft assembly includes a structural/shaft body defining a cavity therein. The shaft body is configured to transmit a load of the wind turbine developed in response to the wind. An inner body is located within the cavity. The inner body is non-loadbearing with respect to the load. At least one sensor is coupled to the inner body and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the shaft body in response to the load.

Main shaft assembly of a wind turbine

A method for replacing an existing generator frame that supports a generator of a wind turbine includes removing the generator from atop the existing generator frame. The method also includes dismounting a control cabinet of the wind turbine from the existing generator frame. More specifically, the control cabinet is electrically connected to one or more wind turbine components via a plurality of cables. The method further includes relocating and securing the control cabinet to an uptower location within a nacelle of the wind turbine with the plurality of cables remaining electrically connected. As such, the method includes removing the existing generator frame from within the nacelle. Moreover, the method includes installing a new generator frame in place of the removed existing generator frame. Thus, the method also includes remounting the control cabinet to the new generator frame.

Method for replacing a generator frame of a wind turbine

A system includes a resonant sensor in contact with oil within a gearbox of a rotor system, such as a wind turbine, and one or more processors. The sensor includes electrodes and a sensing circuit that generates electrical stimuli having frequencies applied to the oil at different times during a life of the gearbox. The processors receive electrical signals from the resonant sensor representative of impedance responses of the oil to the electrical stimuli. The processors analyze the impedance responses and determine a concentration of a polar analyte in the oil at different times. The processors calculate a degradation value for the gearbox based on the concentration of the polar analyte. Responsive to the degradation value exceeding a designated threshold, the processors at least one of schedule maintenance for the rotor system, provide an alert to schedule maintenance, or prohibit operation of the rotor system until maintenance is performed.

Sensing system and method

The invention relates to a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox bearing of a wind turbine. In particular, a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox of a wind turbine is disclosed. The gearbox has at least one bearing with an outer race and an inner race that rotates with respect to the outer race. The method includes forming a through-hole in a front cover of the gearbox, the front cover being stationary with respect to an axis of rotation of the bearing. The method also includes forming a recess in the outer race of the bearing. Further, the method includes inserting a connecting member through the through-hole and the recess so as to prevent movement of the outer race of the bearing with respect to a torque arm of the gearbox.

Method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox bearing of a wind turbine

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Asheville, NC, United States of America

Michael Garry