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Title: System and method for detecting pitch bearing damage in a wind turbine

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1568267

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for detecting damage of a pitch bearing of a wind turbine. The pitch bearing is part of a pitch drive system having a plurality of pitch drive motors. The method includes measuring at least one electrical signal of the pitch drive system. The method also includes processing the electrical signal(s) of the pitch drive system and comparing the electrical signals of the pitch drive system with a baseline threshold. Thus, the method also includes determining whether damage is present in the pitch bearing based, at least in part, on the comparison, wherein the electrical signal(s) exceeding the baseline threshold is indicative of damage in the pitch bearing.

Research Organization:
General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
EE0006802
Assignee:
General Electric Company (Schenectady, NY)
Patent Number(s):
10,273,940
Application Number:
15/152,664
OSTI ID:
1568267
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 05/12/2016
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (5)

System for monitoring bearings and other rotating equipment patent December 1980
Systems and methods for monitoring a structural health of a wind turbine patent October 2011
Fault detection based on current signature analysis for a generator patent March 2015
Pitch Control System patent-application June 2011
Bearing Device Vibration Analysis Method, Bearing Device Vibration Analyzer, and Rolling Bearing Condition Monitoring System patent-application December 2015