Wind turbine and retrofitting system and method for at least one wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12110869-B2
Application number	US-202118014014-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2021
Priority date	Jul 10, 2020
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

A wind turbine includes a marking light system including a marking light for aerial traffic, a data source, including one light sensor, and a marking light controller for controlling the at least one marking light according to data of the data source, in particular sensor data of the light sensor, a wind turbine controller, a power line for the at least one marking light and/or one control line connecting the marking light controller to the wind turbine controller, wherein the wind turbine further includes a switching arrangement including at least one switching unit in the power line or the control line, wherein the switching unit receives a detection signal from an air traffic detection system and to turn the at least one marking light on or off when the detection signal indicates air traffic or no air traffic, respectively, in an area around the wind turbine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind turbine comprising:
a marking light system comprising at least one marking light for aerial traffic, a data source, which is at least one light sensor, and a marking light controller for controlling the at least one marking light according to data of the data source, which is sensor data of the at least one light sensor,
a wind turbine controller,
a power line for at least the at least one marking light and/or at least one control line connecting the marking light controller to the wind turbine controller, and
wherein the wind turbine further comprises a switching arrangement comprising at least one switching unit in the power line or the control line, wherein the switching arrangement is independent of the marking light controller, wherein the switching unit is configured to receive a detection signal from an air traffic detection system associated with the wind turbine and to turn the at least one marking light on or off when the detection signal indicates air traffic or no air traffic, respectively, in an area around the wind turbine.

2. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the switching unit is a relay in the power line, using the detection signal as a switching control signal.

3. The wind turbine according to claim 2 , wherein, when the marking light controller is configured to generate an error signal to the wind turbine controller on power disruption to the at least one marking light, the switching arrangement additionally comprises a control unit receiving the error signal and the detection signal and configured to only forward the error signal when the error signal is not caused by switching activity of the switching unit, when the detection signal indicates air traffic in the area around the wind turbine.

4. The wind turbine according to claim 3 , wherein, when the marking light controller is adapted to generate different error signals on different events, the control unit is configured to only block error signals relating to power disruption events depending on the detection signal.

5. The wind turbine according to claim 3 , wherein the detection signal is received by the control unit and forwarded to the switching unit, modified and/or converted by the control unit.

6. The wind turbine according to claim 2 , wherein the wind turbine controller also receives the detection signal and is configured to discard the error signal when the detection signal indicates no air traffic in the area around the wind turbine.

7. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein, when the wind turbine controller provides a brightness signal to the marking light controller for controlling the brightness of the marking lights, the switching unit is a control unit in the control line, which is configured to modify the brightness signal to turn off the at least one marking light when the detection signal indicates no air traffic in the area around the wind turbine.

8. The wind turbine according to claim 7 , wherein it further comprises a visibility measuring device, wherein the wind turbine controller is configured to generate the brightness signal based on measurement data received from the visibility measurement device.

9. The wind turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the air traffic detection system comprises at least one radar sensor and/or at least one transponder signal receiver.

10. A retrofitting system for at least one wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine comprises
a marking light system comprising at least one marking light for aerial traffic, a data source, which is at least one light sensor, and a marking light controller for controlling the at least one marking light according to data of the data source, which is sensor data of the at least one light sensor,
a wind turbine controller, and
a power line for at least the at least one marking light and/or at least one control line connecting the marking light controller to the wind turbine controller, the retrofitting system comprising:
an air traffic detection system, and
a switching arrangement independent of the marking light controller and the wind turbine controller, the switching arrangement comprising at least one switching unit for the power line or the control line, wherein the switching unit is configured to receive a detection signal from the air traffic detection system and to turn the at least one marking light on or off when the detection signal indicates air traffic or no air traffic, respectively, in an area around the wind turbine.

11. A method for retrofitting at least one wind turbine, comprising:
providing a wind turbine having a marking light system with at least one marking light for aerial traffic, a data source, which is at least one light sensor, and a marking light controller for controlling the at least one marking light according to data of the data source, which is sensor data of the at least one light sensor; a wind turbine controller; and a power line for at least the at least one marking light and/or at least one control line connecting the marking light controller to the wind turbine controller;
providing an air traffic detection system; and
installing a switching arrangement, wherein the switching arrangement is independent of the marking light controller and the wind turbine controller, wherein the switching arrangement has at least one switching unit for the power line or the control line, wherein the switching unit is configured to receive a detection signal from the air traffic detection system and to turn the at least one marking light on or off when the detection signal indicates air traffic or no air traffic, respectively, in an area around the wind turbine;
wherein, when installing the switching arrangement, neither the marking light controller nor the wind turbine controller needs to be modified.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Schult Matthias
• Özdag Erdal

Classifications

• F05B2230/80

  Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F03D80/10 Primary

  Arrangements for warning air traffic · CPC title