General Electric Company

Thomas Ernst Dinjus

Mark Edward Cardinal

Jignesh Govindlal Gandhi

Bernard P Landa

Hua Xia

Anthony Michael Klodowski

Danian Zheng

Sidney Allen Barker

Avinash Vinayak Taware

Thomas Frank Fric

Edward Wayne Hardwicke, Jr

Maria Cecilia Mazzaro

Gert Torbohm

Bernardo Adrian Movsichoff

Ryan Spencer Close

David Charles Korim

Nadine Schuell

Michael Gregory Brown

Carlos Eduardo Latorre

Bernardo Adrian Movischoff

Thomas Omar Converse

Reinhard Bruegger

Robert J Dewey

Bernard Landa

Jr Hardwicke Edward Wayne

A method for controlling a wind turbine system may generally include controlling a wind turbine to operate at a speed and torque setting within a permissible operating region defined between maximum and minimum operating curves, receiving a speed de-rate request and/or a torque de-rate request to de-rate the wind turbine based on a limiting constraint of the wind turbine system, determining an adjusted speed setting and/or an adjusted torque setting for the wind turbine based on the speed de-rate request and/or the torque de-rate request, determining whether an adjustment of the wind turbine operation to the adjusted speed setting and/or the adjusted torque setting would place the turbine outside the permissible operating region and, if the adjustment would place the operation outside the permissible operating region, adjusting the speed setting and/or the torque setting to a new speed and/or torque setting defined along the maximum or minimum operating curve.

System and method for controlling a wind turbine system

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for protecting a rotary machine in a high noise environment. In one embodiment, the method includes a step of measuring a vibration signal during operation of the rotary machine. Another step includes modulating the vibration signal at a desired frequency to generate a modulated signal having a direct current (DC) value. The desired frequency varies as a function of an operational parameter of the rotary machine. The method also includes a step of filtering the modulated signal via one or more low-pass filters. Another step includes comparing an amplitude of the filtered signal to a threshold amplitude for one or more components of the rotary machine. The threshold amplitude is indicative of an imbalance within one or more components of the rotary machine. The rotary machine is then operated based on the comparison so as to protect the rotary machine from damage caused by the imbalance within the one or more components of the rotary machine.

System and method for protecting rotary machines

In one aspect, a system for monitoring load-related parameters of a rotor blade of a wind turbine is disclosed. The system may generally include a plurality of reflective targets positioned within the rotor blade. Each reflective target may include a unique visual identifier. In addition, the system may include a light source configured to illuminate the reflective targets and a sensor configured to detect light reflected from the reflective targets.

System and method for monitoring load-related parameters of a wind turbine rotor blade

A method of verifying operation of at least one wind turbine sensor includes dynamically defining a neighborhood of neighbor wind turbines for a first wind turbine, each neighbor wind turbine including at least one sensor. The method also includes receiving data from at least one neighbor wind turbine sensor and determining a status of at least one sensor of the first wind turbine using the data received from the neighbor wind turbine sensor.

Control system and methods of verifying operation of at least one wind turbine sensor

A method of controlling a wind turbine that includes at least one rotor shaft and at least one blade operatively coupled to the rotor shaft includes measuring a first wind turbine operational condition that is representative of a blade deflection value and generating a first operational condition signal based on that first wind turbine operational condition. The wind turbine also includes a drive train including at least one rotor shaft and an electric generator. The method also includes measuring at least one second wind turbine operational condition and generating at least one second operational condition signal. The method further includes changing the blade deflection value by changing the second operational condition.

Wind turbine farm and method of controlling at least one wind turbine

A method for monitoring wear of a blade pitch brake within a rotor blade pitch control system of a wind turbine is described. The rotor blade pitch control system includes a blade pitch actuator. The method includes engaging the blade pitch brake and measuring a blade pitch displacement while the blade pitch brake is engaged. The method further includes determining a brake wear level based on the measured blade pitch displacement while the blade pitch brake is engaged, and generating a brake wear level output signal corresponding to the brake wear level.

Methods and systems for monitoring operation of a wind turbine

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Greer, SC, United States of America

Thomas Ernst Dinjus