Wind turbine drive control device and control method of wind turbine drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12286959-B2
Application number	US-202318174296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2023
Priority date	Dec 25, 2019
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

A wind turbine drive control device according to one aspect of the present invention is a wind turbine drive control device for controlling at least one drive device for moving two structures included in a wind power generation device relative to each other, the wind turbine drive control device including: an obtaining unit for obtaining information related to a load occurring between the at least one drive device and one of the two structures that receives a force generated by the at least one drive device; and a control unit for controlling the at least one drive device so as to cause a force generated by the at least one drive device to be reduced or zero based on the information related to the load obtained by the obtaining unit during a stop period in which the two structures are stopped relative to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wind turbine drive control device for controlling at least one drive device for moving two structures included in a wind power generation device relative to each other, the at least one drive device comprising an electromagnetic brake, and the wind power generation device comprising a hydraulic brake, the wind turbine drive control device comprising:
a sensor configured to obtain information related to a load occurring between the at least one drive device and one of the two structures that receives a force generated by the at least one drive device; and
control circuitry configured to, during a stop period in which the two structures are stopped relative to each other, control the at least one drive device, in a state where a process is performed from a first state, in which both a first force generated by the electromagnetic brake and a second force generated by the hydraulic brake are generated, to a second state, in which only the first force generated by the electromagnetic brake is temporarily reduced or zero based on the obtained information, while causing the second force generated by the hydraulic brake to be applied to fix the two structures relative to each other, to regenerate the first force generated by the electromagnetic brake while causing the second force generated by the hydraulic brake to be applied.

2. The wind turbine drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the load is information based on a force acting on a fastener fixing the at least one drive device to one of the two structures.

3. The wind turbine drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one drive device comprises a plurality of drive devices, each controlled by the wind turbine drive control device,
wherein the sensor is configured to obtain information related to the load occurring between each of the plurality of drive devices and one of the two structures that receives forces generated by the plurality of drive devices, and
wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the plurality of drive devices, in the state where the process is performed from the first state to the second state, to regenerate the first force generated by the electromagnetic brake while causing the second force generated by the hydraulic brake to be applied.

4. The wind turbine drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the at least one drive device so as to cause the first force to be temporarily reduced or zero for at least several microseconds, while causing the second force to be applied to fix the two structures relative to each other.

5. The wind turbine drive control device of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic brake applies the braking force to a ring gear by an electromagnetic action,
wherein the hydraulic brake applies the braking force by urging a friction member against the ring gear, and
wherein the second state indicates a state in which the braking force, which is greater than the load generated between the at least one drive device and one of the two structures and which is applied by urging the friction member, is applied.

6. A wind turbine drive control device for controlling a plurality of drive devices each including a brake unit, a drive unit, and a transmission unit, the brake unit being configured to generate a braking force for stopping a second structure relative to a first structure, the brake unit of at least one drive device of the plurality of drive devices comprising an electromagnetic brake, both the first and second structures being included in a wind power generation device, the wind power generation device comprising a hydraulic brake, the drive unit being configured to generate a drive force for moving the second structure relative to the first structure, and the transmission unit being configured to transmit the braking force and the drive force to the first structure, the wind turbine drive control device comprising:
a sensor configured to obtain information based on a force acting on a fastener fixing the plurality of drive devices to the second structure; and
control circuitry configured to switch between a drive period in which the second structure is moved relative to the first structure and a stop period in which the second structure is stopped relative to the first structure, the control circuitry being further configured to, during the stop period, control the at least one drive device, in a state where a process is performed from a first state, in which both a first force generated by the electromagnetic brake and a second force generated by the hydraulic brake are generated, to a second state, in which only the first force generated by the electromagnetic brake is temporarily reduced or zero based on the obtained information, while causing the second force generated by the hydraulic brake to be applied to fix the first structure and the second structure relative to each other, to regenerate the first force generated by the electromagnetic brake while causing the second force generated by the hydraulic brake to be applied.

7. A control method of a wind turbine drive device, for controlling at least one drive device for moving two structures included in a wind power generation device relative to each other, the at least one drive device comprising an electromagnetic brake, and the wind power generation device comprising a hydraulic brake, the control method comprising:
obtaining information related to a load occurring between the at least one drive device and one of the two structures that receives a force generated by the at least one drive device; and
during a stop period in which the two structures are stopped relative to each other, controlling the at least one drive device, in a state where a process is performed from a first state, in which both a first force generated by the electromagnetic brake and a second force generated by the hydraulic brake are generated, to a second state, in which only the first force generated by the electromagnetic brake is temporarily reduced or zero based on the obtained information, while causing the second force generated by the hydraulic brake to be applied to fix the two structures relative to each other, to regenerate the first force generated by the electromagnetic brake while causing the second force generated by the hydraulic brake to be applied.

Assignees

• Nabtesco Corp

Inventors

• Nohara Osamu

Classifications

• F03D7/0224

  Adjusting blade pitch · CPC title

• F03D7/0212

  the rotating axis remaining horizontal · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2270/331

  Mechanical loads · CPC title

• F05B2260/403

  through the shape of the drive components · CPC title