Patent ID: 9217413
Filing Date: 2015-12-22
Classification: F03D,G01P,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A wind turbine optical wind sensor, comprising: a plurality of light sources mounted on the rotor of a wind turbine, such that in use the light sources rotate around the rotational axis of the rotor, wherein each light source is positioned to emit a sensor beam having at least a first directional beam component orthogonal to the rotational axis of the rotor, and wherein each sensor beam is made up of at least two parallel or substantially parallel component sensor beams; a plurality of light receiving devices mounted on the rotor, and wherein the plurality of light receiving devices are positioned such that each sensor beam is associated with at least a first respective light receiving device to detect at least two flashes of light resulting from particulate matter in the wind respectively passing through focal points of the at least two parallel or substantially parallel component sensor beams; a controller, coupled to the plurality of light receiving devices, that determines transit times each as respective elapsed times between the detected at least two flashes for the particulate matter to pass between the focal points, and determines one or more of the speed and direction of motion of the particulate matter based on the determined transit times.