Wind Turbine Yaw Sensor Rotary Switch Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbine yaw sensors face challenges in accurately determining nacelle rotation and preventing cable damage due to potential failures in transmission components, such as the cam switch and angular encoder, which can lead to continuous rotation and cable snapping.
Innovation Solution
A yaw sensor system that includes a rotary switch coupled to the yaw drive gearbox, generating electrical signals based on yaw rotation, and an absolute encoder to determine the nacelle's position, with a controller estimating the current yaw rotation and validating the position against the encoder's measurement, ensuring safe end-stop detection and transmission path functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cam switch and angular encoder are used to detect yaw position, then the nacelle rotation can be monitored and end-stop positions can be detected, but the transmission path between the yaw drive gearbox and the sensors may fail, causing the sensors to stop working and potentially leading to continuous rotation and cable damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from both the angular encoder and cam switch to continuously monitor yaw position and transmission path integrity. The controller compares signals from both sensors to detect failures, enabling real-time feedback on system health and automatic response to prevent cable damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam switch is positioned to detect end-stop positions before the cable reaches its damage threshold. By preliminarily detecting approaching limits and transmission failures, the system can take preventive action (stopping rotation) before actual damage occurs to the cable or other components.
2Productivity
If the nacelle rotates continuously to track wind direction, then optimal power output can be maintained, but the electric cable may snap due to excessive rotation beyond safe end-stop positions
Solution Approach 1:
The cam switch applies preliminary anti-action by detecting end-stop positions and triggering the controller to stop or reverse nacelle rotation before the cable reaches its maximum safe rotation limit. This preemptive measure prevents the harmful effect of cable snapping while allowing continuous operation within safe boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-sensor feedback system continuously monitors yaw position and transmission integrity, enabling the controller to make real-time decisions about rotation direction and speed. This feedback mechanism ensures the nacelle operates within safe rotation limits while maintaining optimal wind alignment for power generation.
3Ease of operation
If multiple transmission components are used between the yaw drive gearbox and the sensors, then the sensors can be positioned away from the drive mechanism, but the increased number of transmission components increases the risk of partial or complete failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback from two independent sensors (angular encoder and cam switch) to monitor transmission path health. By comparing signals from both sensors, the controller can detect transmission failures even when sensors are positioned away from the gearbox, maintaining reliability despite increased physical separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The yaw detection function is segmented into two independent sensor systems: the angular encoder for continuous position measurement and the cam switch for end-stop detection. This segmentation provides redundancy, so if one transmission path fails, the other sensor can still detect critical positions and prevent cable damage.
Data Source
AI summary
A yaw sensor for a wind turbine is described. The yaw sensor comprises a rotary switch, configured to be coupled to a yaw drive gearbox of a wind turbine nacelle, the rotary switch being operable to activate and deactivate an electrical contact in dependence on an amount of yaw rotation of the nacelle relative to a start position. The electrical contact is active at a plurality of first yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, and inactive at a plurality of second yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, the first and second yaw rotation ranges being interleaved, at least some of the first yaw rotation ranges having different lengths from each other and/or at least some of the second yaw rotation ranges having different lengths from each other. The electrical contact generates an electrical signal when active.