Patent ID: 8178989
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: F03D,F05B,H02P,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method of adjusting a yaw angle of a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a nacelle rotatably coupled to a tower and a yaw drive assembly coupled to the nacelle and the tower, the yaw assembly including a yaw motor and a power converter assembly coupled to the yaw motor, said method comprising: transmitting, from a first sensor coupled to the wind turbine to a control system, at least a first monitoring signal indicative of an operating condition of the wind turbine; transmitting, from a second sensor to the control system, at least a second monitoring signal indicative of a power loading imparted to the yaw motor from the power converter assembly; calculating, by a control system, a torque loading of the yaw drive assembly based at least in part on the received second monitoring signal; calculating a yaw angle of the nacelle with respect to the direction of wind based at least in part on the calculated torque loading; determining whether the calculated yaw angle is different than a predefined yaw angle; and, operating the yaw drive the assembly to adjust a yaw of the nacelle based at least in part when the calculated yaw angle is different than the predefined yaw angle.