Wind Turbine Tower Resonant Frequency Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for determining the resonant frequency of wind turbine towers require substantial computing resources and storage capacity, and are dependent on reliable data communication, which increases technical and maintenance efforts, while also being prone to inaccuracies due to noise from mechanical vibrations.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize a processing unit with a Fourier transform module to calculate a spectral vector through convolution-based fast Fourier transform of acceleration measurement values, combined with a noise filter module to enhance data quality, allowing for efficient determination of the resonant frequency with reduced computational effort and improved accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional FFT methods are used to calculate resonant frequency, then measurement precision is improved, but computing resources and storage capacity requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the computational parameters by using a reduced set of acceleration measurement values (e.g., only values at specific time intervals or selected sensor readings) rather than processing the complete continuous signal. This parameter reduction maintains sufficient measurement precision for resonant frequency determination while significantly decreasing computing resource requirements and storage capacity needs.
2Measurement precision
If complete acceleration measurement data is stored and processed, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to larger data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential acceleration measurement values needed for resonant frequency calculation, discarding redundant data. By taking out only the critical data points (such as peak values or values at specific sampling intervals), the system achieves accurate frequency determination while minimizing data processing time and computational overhead.
3Device complexity
If remote central control office is used for frequency calculation, then computing resources are reduced locally, but reliability decreases due to dependency on communication lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the wind turbine's local processing unit to independently calculate resonant frequency using optimized algorithms that require minimal computing resources. This self-service capability eliminates dependency on remote communication infrastructure, allowing the system to autonomously determine and respond to resonant conditions without external assistance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables precise and accurate determination of the wind turbine tower's resonant frequency, reducing computational and storage requirements while minimizing technical effort, and providing robustness against noise, thus enhancing the reliability of the results.
Implementation Method 1
a Fourier transform module configured to calculate a spectral vector based on calculating a convolution-based fast Fourier transform of the series of acceleration measurement values
Implementation Method 2
an acceleration measurement value being representative of the acceleration of the wind turbine tower in the direction parallel to a rotor rotational axis of the wind turbine and/or in the direction perpendicular to both the rotor rotational axis and the tower axis
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
An apparatus (1) for determining a resonant frequency of a wind turbine tower (3), comprising a processing unit (14) configured to receive an acceleration measurement value, said acceleration measurement value being representative of the acceleration of the wind turbine tower in the direction parallel to a rotor rotational axis (A - A') of the wind turbine and/or in the direction perpendicular to both the rotor rotational axis and the tower axis of the wind turbine is characterized in that it comprises a memory (12) configured to store a series of acceleration measurement values, and the processing unit (14) comprises: - a Fourier transform module (16) configured to calculate a spectral vector based on calculating a convolution-based fast Fourier transform of the series of acceleration measurement values, and - a resonant frequency calculation module (20) configured to calculate the tower resonant frequency based on the calculated spectral vector.