Patent ID: 8303251
Filing Date: 2012-11-06
Classification: F03D,F05B,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of assembling a pitch assembly for use with a wind turbine including a wind turbine controller and a rotor that includes a plurality of rotor blades coupled to a hub, said method comprising: coupling a pitch drive system to at least one rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades for rotating the rotor blade about a pitch axis; coupling the pitch drive system to the wind turbine controller, the wind turbine controller configured to modulate a pitch of the at least one rotor blade to facilitate adjusting a power generated by the wind turbine; coupling an overspeed controller to the pitch drive system, such that the overspeed controller is positioned within the hub and is configured to operate the pitch drive system when the rotor is operating at overspeed, the overspeed controller is further configured to operate independently of the wind turbine controller and to override the wind turbine controller when the rotor is operating at overspeed; coupling a sensor to an inner surface of the hub; and, coupling the sensor in signal communication with the overspeed controller, wherein the sensor is configured to sense an acceleration of the rotor and to transmit a signal indicative of the sensed acceleration to the overspeed controller, wherein the controller inputs the sensed acceleration values into a first mathematical model to determine an acceleration function, converts the acceleration function to a velocity function, and compares the velocity function with a stored overspeed velocity function to determine an overspeed condition.