Patent ID: 8348611
Filing Date: 2013-01-08
Classification: G01B,G01D,G01M

Abstract:
1. A wind turbine comprising a temperature compensated optical sensor system for detecting the deformation of a wind turbine rotor blade, the system comprising: a first optical fibre providing a deformation measurement optical path, the first optical fibre operatively attached to the wind turbine rotor blade such that deformation of the wind turbine rotor blade acts on the first optical fibre and causes the length of the deformation measurement optical path to change; a second optical fibre providing a non-deformation measurement optical path, the second optical fibre operatively attached to the wind turbine rotor blade such that it is isolated from deformation of the wind turbine rotor blade; a light source for inputting light into one end of the first and second optical fibres; a light detector for receiving light that has passed along the deformation measurement and non-deformation measurement optical paths, and for providing an output to the controller indicating the intensity of the received light; a controller coupled to the light detector for determining, based on the detected light, the difference in lengths of the deformation measurement and non-deformation measurement optical paths; a mirror terminating the first optical fibre; a mirror terminating the second optical fibre; and an optical coupler for splitting the light received from the light source into the deformation measurement and non-deformation measurement optical paths, and for receiving and combining the light reflected from first and second optical fibres.