Wind Turbine Yaw Supervision via Signal Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The yaw system in wind turbines often fails to maintain the desired orientation, leading to energy loss and mechanical overload due to wind gusts and other external factors.
Innovation Solution
A method for monitoring yawing fault events in wind turbine yaw systems, which involves comparing the yaw angle with the yaw control signal to determine if changes in the yaw angle are intended or unintended, and registering yawing fault events accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the holding system is designed to maintain yaw orientation, then reliability of holding is improved, but the system may still fail under wind gusts causing energy loss and mechanical overload
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system performs preliminary detection of yaw angle deviations before they result in significant energy loss or mechanical damage. By continuously comparing monitored yaw angle with control signals and registering fault events early, the system enables proactive intervention and service planning, preventing the worsening conditions described in the contradiction.
2Productivity
If service intervals are extended to reduce maintenance costs, then productivity is improved, but the holding system may fail leading to energy loss and mechanical overload
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system establishes a feedback loop that continuously tracks yaw angle and control signal correlation, accumulating fault event data over time. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic adjustment of service intervals based on actual system condition rather than fixed schedules, allowing extended intervals when conditions are good while triggering early service when fault patterns indicate deterioration, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
3Measurement precision
If the monitoring system continuously tracks yaw angle and control signals, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system extracts only the essential data elements needed for fault detection: yaw angle from sensors and control signals from the control system. By focusing on these specific parameters and using correlation analysis rather than comprehensive system monitoring, the achievement high measurement precision while keeping device complexity manageable. The system takes out only what is necessary from the complex yaw control system.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for monitoring yawing fault events of a yaw system of a wind turbine. The yaw system comprises one or more actuators for driving the yaw system and a holding system to resist yaw rotation. The yaw system is arranged to provide yaw rotation in response to a yaw control signal. According to the method, the monitored yaw angle is compared with the yaw control signal, and based on the comparison, a correlation between a monitored change in the yaw angle and the yaw control signal is determined. A yawing fault event is determined dependent on the determined correlation.