State detection device for wind power generation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356267-A1
Application number	US-201515118277-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2015
Priority date	Feb 12, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wind power generation apparatus includes a sensor which senses a quantity of light transmitted through a lubricant supplied to a gear box internal to a nacelle, and a monitor which monitors a state of the lubricant based on an output of the sensor. The monitor calculates as a normal standard deviation σ normal a standard deviation of the sensor output value in a normal operation in which a foreign matter is not introduced in the lubricant, generates as a threshold value for abnormality determination σ sh the calculated normal standard deviation σ normal multiplied by a real number, and stores the generated threshold value σ sh . And the monitor determines whether a foreign matter is introduced in the lubricant based on a result of comparing the sensor output value's standard deviation σ with threshold value σ sh .

First claim

1 . A state detection device for a wind power generation apparatus, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a quantity of light transmitted through a lubricant for the wind power generation apparatus; and a monitor configured to monitor a state of the lubricant based on an output of the sensor; the monitor including:
a generation unit configured to calculate a normal standard deviation that is a standard deviation of output values of the sensor during a normal operation in which a foreign matter is not introduced in the lubricant, and generate a threshold value for abnormality determination by multiplying the calculated normal standard deviation by a real number; and
a determination unit configured to calculate a standard deviation of output values of the sensor and determine whether the foreign matter is introduced in the lubricant based on a result of comparison between the calculated standard deviation and the threshold value generated by the generation unit.

2 . The state detection device for a wind power generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit is configured to calculate the standard deviation of the output values of the sensor a plurality of times to obtain a plurality of standard deviations, and
when a ratio of any standard deviation exceeding the threshold value to the plurality of calculated standard deviations exceeds a predetermined ratio, the determination unit is configured to determine that the foreign matter is introduced in the lubricant and issue a warning.

3 . The state detection device for a wind power generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the wind power generation apparatus includes a pipe allowing the lubricant to circulate therethrough; the pipe has a transparent portion formed to transmit external light therethrough; and the sensor is provided outside the transparent portion of the pipe and senses a quantity of light transmitted through the lubricant flowing through the transparent portion.

Assignees

• Haseba Takashi
• Ntn Toyo Bearing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Haseba Takashi

Classifications

• G01N2201/08

  Optical fibres; light guides · CPC title

• G01N21/59

  Transmissivity (G01N21/25 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N21/94

  Investigating contamination, e.g. dust (G01N21/85 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F03D9/25

  the apparatus being an electrical generator (F03D9/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K7/116

  with gears · CPC title