Device for measuring deformations of a rotor blade of a wind turbine generator system, and corresponding rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9605658-B2
Application number	US-201414542675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A device for measuring deformations of a rotor blade of a wind turbine generator system includes an angle measuring device and an arm. The angle measuring device includes a first and a second assembly. The first assembly is pivotable relative to the second assembly about an axis. The second assembly has a fastening site that is configured to be connected to the rotor blade. The angle measuring device is configured to measure a relative angular position between the first and the second assembly. The arm has a connection site disposed at a distance to the fastening site and is configured to be connected to the rotor blade at the connection site. The arm is mechanically coupled to the first assembly at a radial distance such that, in response to a change in the distance, a relative angular displacement is generated between the first and the second assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for measuring deformations of a rotor blade of a wind turbine generator system, comprising:
an angle measuring device that includes a first and a second assembly, the first assembly being pivotable relative to the second assembly about an axis, the second assembly having a fastening site that is configured to be connected to the rotor blade, the angle measuring device being configured to measure a relative angular position between the first and the second assembly; and
an arm having a connection site and being configured to be connected to the rotor blade at the connection site, the connection site being disposed at a distance to the fastening site of the second assembly, the distance being oriented orthogonally to the axis in a direction of extension of the arm,
wherein the arm is mechanically coupled to the first assembly at a radial distance such that, in response to a change in the distance, a relative angular displacement is generated between the first and the second assembly.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the arm is fabricated from a material that includes plastic.

3. The device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the plastic is fiber-reinforced.

4. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first assembly is articulated to the arm via a flexible component.

5. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connection site is formed as a bonding surface.

6. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the angle measuring device includes a rolling-contact bearing pivotally mounting the first assembly relative to the second assembly.

7. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the angle measuring device includes a measuring standard and an element configured to scan the measuring standard.

8. The device as recited in claim 7 , wherein the element configured to scan the measuring standard is photosensitive.

9. A rotor blade of a wind turbine generator system having a device for measuring deformations, the device comprising:
an angle measuring device that includes a first and a second assembly, the first assembly being pivotable relative to the second assembly about an axis, the second assembly having a fastening site that is connected to the rotor blade, the angle measuring device being configured to measure a relative angular position between the first and the second assembly; and
an arm having a connection site and being joined to the rotor blade at the connection site, the connection site being disposed at a distance to the fastening site of the second assembly, the distance being oriented orthogonally to the axis in a direction of extension of the arm,
wherein the arm is mechanically coupled to the first assembly at a radial distance such that, in response to a change in the distance, a relative angular displacement is generated between the first and the second assembly.

10. The rotor blade as recited in claim 9 , wherein the arm is oriented in a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade.

11. The rotor blade as recited in claim 9 , wherein the fastening site of the second assembly is connected to an inner side of the rotor blade.

12. The rotor blade as recited in claim 11 , wherein the arm oriented in a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade, and the axis is oriented tangentially or radially to the longitudinal axis of the rotor blade.

13. The rotor blade as recited in claim 9 , wherein the device for measuring deformations is installed at a root of the rotor blade.

14. The rotor blade as recited in claim 9 , wherein the arm has a same coefficient of thermal expansion as the rotor blade.

15. The rotor blade as recited in claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of devices configured to measure deformations of the rotor blade.

Assignees

• Heidenhain Gmbh Dr Johannes

Inventors

• Meyer Hermann
• Thaler Josef

Classifications

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• Y02E10/722

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F03D17/00 Primary

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

• G01L1/04

  by measuring elastic deformation of gauges, e.g. of springs · CPC title

• Y02E10/721

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic