System and method for de-icing a wind turbine rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10233908-B2
Application number	US-201615012962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for de-icing a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The wind turbine has a nacelle mounted atop a tower. The nacelle has a rotor with a rotatable hub having rotor blade mounted thereto. The method includes shutting down the wind turbine in response to detecting ice on the rotor blade. The method also includes positioning the wind turbine in a de-icing position, the de-icing position including at least one of yawing the nacelle of the wind turbine such that the rotor is in a down-wind location of the tower or pitching the rotor blade such that a leading edge of the rotor blade is facing the tower. Another step includes de-icing the rotor blade while the rotor is in the de-icing position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for de-icing a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the wind turbine having a nacelle mounted atop a tower, the nacelle having a rotor with a rotatable hub having the rotor blade mounted thereto, the method comprising:
operating the wind turbine, wherein operation of the wind turbine generates a wake region extending from the tower to a down-wind location of the tower;
shutting down the wind turbine;
determining, via one or more sensors, an incoming wind direction of the wind turbine;
transmitting a signal to position the wind turbine in a de-icing position by continuously yawing the nacelle of the wind turbine away from the incoming wind direction determined via the one or more sensors, to maintain the rotor in the down-wind location of the tower such that the rotor blade is positioned in the wake of the tower when the blade is at 6 o'clock position and pitching the rotor blade such that a leading edge of the rotor blade faces the tower; and, de-icing the rotor blade while the wind turbine is in the de-icing position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the rotatable hub so as to place the rotor blade in a substantially six o'clock position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein pitching the rotor blade occurs after yawing the nacelle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein pitching the rotor blade occurs before yawing the nacelle.

5. The of claim 1 , wherein yawing the nacelle of the wind turbine further comprises rotating the nacelle about a yaw axis approximately 180 degrees from an initial location facing the wind.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein de-icing the rotor blade comprises at least one of circulating heated air within or across the rotor blade, heating the rotor blade via one or more heating elements, or spraying a de-icing liquid across the rotor blade.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring, via the one or more sensors, an ice-related parameter of rotor blade, the ice-related parameter being indicative of ice being present on the rotor blade.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising shutting down the wind turbine in response to the ice-related parameter indicating the presence of ice on the rotor blade.

9. A system for de-icing a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the wind turbine having a nacelle mounted atop a tower, the nacelle having a rotor with a rotatable hub having the rotor blade mounted thereto, the system comprising:
one or more sensors configured to monitor at least one of an ice-related parameter of the rotor blade and an incoming wind direction of the wind turbine;
at least one of a pitch drive mechanism or a yaw drive mechanism; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the at least one of the pitch drive mechanism or the yaw drive mechanism, the controller being further configured to receive signals from the one or more sensors related to the ice-related parameter and implement a de-icing procedure in the event that the ice-related parameter indicates the presence of ice on the rotor blade, the de-icing procedure comprising:
operating the wind turbine, wherein operation of the wind turbine generates a wake region extending from the tower to a down-wind location of the tower;
determining the incoming wind direction of the wind turbine via the one or more sensors;
shutting down the wind turbine in response to the ice-related parameter indicating the presence of ice on the rotor blade,
transmitting a signal to position the wind turbine in a de-icing position by continuously yawing the nacelle of the wind turbine away from the incoming wind direction determined via the one or more sensors to maintain the rotor in the a-down-wind location of the tower such that the rotor blade is positioned in the wake of the tower when the bade is at 6 o'clock position and pitching the rotor blade such that a leading edge of the rotor blade faces the tower; and, de-icing the rotor blade while the wind turbine is in the de-icing position.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the de-icing procedure further comprises rotating the rotatable hub so as to place the rotor blade in a substantially six o'clock position.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein de-icing the rotor blade comprises at least one of circulating heated air within or across the rotor blade, heating the rotor blade via one or more heating elements, or spraying a de-icing liquid across the rotor blade.

12. A method for de-icing a plurality of rotor blades of a wind turbine, the wind turbine having a nacelle mounted atop a tower, the nacelle having a rotor with a rotatable hub having the rotor blade mounted thereto, the method comprising:
(a) operating, the wind turbine wherein operation of the wind turbine generates a wake region extending from the tower to a down-wind location of the tower;
(b) shutting down the wind turbine;
(C) determining, via one or more sensors, an incoming wind direction of the wind turbine;
(d) rotating the rotatable hub so as to place one of the rotor blades in a six o′clock position;
(e) transmitting a signal to continuously yaw the nacelle of the wind turbine to maintain the rotor in the a down-wind location of the tower based on the incoming wind direction determined via the one or more sensors such that the rotor blade is positioned in the wake of the tower when the blade is at 6 o'clock position:
(f) pitching the rotor blade while yawing the nacelle such that a leading edge of the rotor blade faces the tower;
(g) de-icing the rotor blade in the de-icing position; and
(h) repeating steps (c) through (g) for each of the rotor blades.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein de-icing the rotor blade comprises at least one of circulating heated air within or across the rotor blade, heating the rotor blade via one or more heating elements, or spraying a de-icing liquid across the rotor blade.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising monitoring, via the one or more sensors, an ice-related parameter of rotor blade, the ice-related parameter being indicative of ice being present on the rotor blade, and shutting down the wind turbine in response to the ice-related parameter indicating the presence of ice on the rotor blade.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Draper Samuel David

Classifications

• F03D17/00

  Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics (testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30) · CPC title

• F03D7/0212

  the rotating axis remaining horizontal · CPC title

• F03D13/20

  Arrangements for mounting or supporting wind motors; Masts or towers for wind motors · CPC title

• F03D80/40 Primary

  Ice detection; De-icing means · CPC title

• F03D7/0224

  Adjusting blade pitch · CPC title