Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for wind turbine component replacement. The method may include coupling a spreader to a wind turbine component, raising a hoist into the nacelle, raising a spool of cable into a nacelle of the wind turbine, mounting the hoist on a member of the nacelle, routing the cable from the spool of cable to the hoist, and routing the cable between at least one sheave disposed on the hoist and at least one sheave disposed on the spreader. The system may include a spreader, the spreader adapted to couple to a wind turbine component, the spreader including at least one longitudinal member, a pair of transverse members, and at least one first sheave, and a hoist, the hoist adapted to couple to a member of the nacelle, the hoist including a frame, a motor, and at least one second sheave.

Abstract: A power distribution system for a wind turbine having a base and a nacelle, the wind turbine being coupled to a power grid. The system can include a main power circuit, the main power circuit including a generator, a main power transformer, and a first current interrupter. The system can further include an auxiliary circuit, the auxiliary circuit including a second current interrupter, an auxiliary transformer, and at least one auxiliary component, and a junction coupled to the main power circuit, the auxiliary circuit, and the power grid.

Abstract: The invention provides a wind turbine having a system for positioning the rotor in an azimuthal reference position Azref and for maintaining it therein for a predetermined period of time, the wind turbine being arranged in test mode. Said rotor positioning system comprises a first controller (31) configured to generate a generator speed reference ?ref from the difference between the rotor azimuthal reference position Azref and the rotor azimuthal measured position Azmeas and a second controller (35) configured to generate a generator torque reference Tref from the difference between said generator speed reference ?ref and the generator speed measured ?meas.

Abstract: Testing method for determining the distribution of a physical property along a wind turbine blade comprising the following steps: a) installing inside the blade a first optical fiber cable (13) along the leading and trailing edges and a second and third centered optical fiber cables (14, 15) at both sides of the blade (9), leaving in them a free end; b) applying one load to the blade (9) in a test bench (10) placed at the blade factory; c) obtaining the strain distribution produced by said load along the blade (9) using a suitable external equipment connected to said free end for measuring the strain using Rayleigh scattered light; d) determining the distribution of said physical property from said strain distribution; e) comparing the distribution of said physical property with its design distribution. The invention also comprises a method of installation of said cables.

Abstract: The invention provides a manufacturing method of a component of a split blade of a wind turbine (such as an inboard shell or an inboard spar) having joining elements with its complementary component (i.e. an outboard shell or an outboard spar). The method comprises the following steps: a) manufacturing a joint laminate of a composite material having embedded into it the joining elements, said joint laminate being configured for becoming a part of the component; b) manufacturing the component using as a preform said joint laminate. The invention also refers to a split blade comprising components manufactured by said manufacturing method.

Abstract: A direct-drive wind turbine comprising an external rotor having an external anular body and a stator, a nacelle which is mounted on an upper part of a tower and which houses a shaft-holder mechanism for supporting the horizontal shaft, a plurality of blade-holder structures arranged equidistantly on external peripheral portions of the external anular body, and a blade root connected to the blade-holder structure, said turbine also including a distal end part connected to the blade root, a lateral hatch for accessing an internal chamber in the blade ender and a door for closing the hatch.

Abstract: Bogie plate (10) integrated or fastened to the planetary carrier (9) of a planetary gearbox (4) for a wind turbine (1), which, using a locking element (12) prevents faults in the gearbox (4), at moments of low torque, in which there is a grinding of the housing (13) of the planetary shaft (11) around a shaft perpendicular to the bogie plate (10).

Abstract: Reinforced hollow for a wind turbine tower comprising a lower ring (2) that determines an opening (3) for the installation of an access door (not represented) inside the tower (1). The hollow incorporates at least one structural element (4) that is fastened on both sides of the opening (3) of the tower's lower ring (2), providing the rigidness necessary to attach a door and permit the reduction of the thickness of the ring by 10-20%.

Abstract: Method for the identification in operation of the drive train main vibration frequency of a wind turbine, comprising online steps of: a) obtaining a input signal (r) of the generator speed (?); b) filtering the generator speed input signal (r) for obtaining a generator speed signal (r1) in a suitable band for representing the oscillating signal (o) comprised in the input signal (r) of the generator speed (?); c) extracting the drive train main vibration frequency (f) from said filtered signal (r1). The invention also comprise a method of damping the drive train vibrations of a wind turbine comprising steps of setting the generator torque reference (Trref) as a function of the generator speed (?) and of the drive train main vibration frequency (f) identified by the above mentioned method and wind turbine control system implementing said damping method.

Abstract: Systems and procedures for wind turbine self-diagnosis which includes: a) A module for the identification (41) of potentially defective components based on the signs provided by the active alarms (31) of the wind turbine's control system, including a module for the filtration of alarms (43); b) A test module (61) with a plurality of tests for verifying the availability of the wind turbine's functional units; c) A self-diagnosis module (51) which manages the selection and sequential execution of the tests (61) applicable to the potentially defective components using a weighted algorithm for the tests (61); d) A communications module (53) which manages the storage and transmission of the results (55) of the self-diagnosis to a control center (73).

Abstract: Method and device for replacing a blade (13) in wind turbines that comprises two elements, one upper (1) and the other lower (2) that work together to raise and/or lower the blade (13) of a wind turbine. The device's upper element or “top” (1) comprises some elements (4) bolted to the bearing (3) of the wind turbine and some means of fastening (5) the blade (13), while the lower element or “ground” (2) is a structure that encompasses the wind turbine tower (8) and has at least two winches (2.5) and two deviation pulleys (2.4) to connect some cables (6) between the device elements, namely the “top” (1) and “ground” (2).

Abstract: Ice-resistant paint comprising an ice-resistant base component that in turn comprises a main component entailing a high solid paint with a synthetic polyurethane-based binding component dissolved in a main organic solvent, and a hydrophobe component consisting of hydrophobic ice-resistant functional nanoparticles selected from among nanoparticles functionalized with a polymer and nanoparticles functionalized in sol-gel, where the ice-resistant paint comprises a mixture of the main component with a dispersion of functional nanoparticles dispersed in a dispersing composition constituting the main solvent and a dispersant, and forms a base matrix, where the dispersing composition and functional nanoparticles form a dispersion of nanoparticles in which the functional nanoparticles are in the base matrix, and the dispersion of dispersing nanoparticles mixed with the main component to form an ice-resistant base component of the ice-resistant paint.

Abstract: A fastening system used for the joint between a rotary shaft and a wind turbines pitch system which includes a front flange and a rear flange, which are joined together and supported on the hollow rotary shaft, and which are coupled to the pitch system having the bearings for the shaft and the star-shaped part. A fastening method couples the rear flange to the hollow shaft with a tapered collar and also to the front flange through spacer bushings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine with internal transport devices which comprises: a power train including a generator (41) located in front of the rotor (15) and actuated directly by said rotor (15), a tower (11) and a supporting structure (13) mounted on the tower (11); the rotor (15), which is supported by a main non-rotating shaft (29) connected to the supporting structure (13) by means of at least one bearing, comprising a hub (17) and at least one blade; the generator rotor (45) being rigidly connected to the rotor hub (17) and the generator stator (43) being rigidly connected to the main shaft (29), the main shaft (29) being a hollow shaft which includes one or more transport devices, such as a device (61) for transporting hanging loads or a carriage (71) for making it easier to replace parts of the generator and/or to transport persons.

Abstract: The joint between the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft is made with a banded flange that combines an interference joint between the horizontal surface of the rotor shaft (4) and the internal surface of the flange (5), with a bolted joint between the vertical surface of the flange (5) and the front surface of the body of the gearbox (4) corresponding to the low speed shaft. The interference joint adds a keyway between both surfaces with their corresponding key (9). Likewise included is an assembly method with a surface treatment at temperature T1, flange heating (5) in an oven at a temperature T2, a banding of the flange (5) on the rotor rotation shaft (4) having the keyway line up with the key (9), a subsequent cooling and finally a bolted joint between the flange (5) and the gearbox (3).

Abstract: Ice-resistant paint for wind turbine blades comprising a paint base, which in turn comprises a solvent and a hydrophobe component, which comprises nanoparticles, in which the base paint is a polyurethane high solid paint, and the nanoparticles are substantially spherical compounds comprising a silica core and a hydrophobe organosilicone coating compatible with the blade.

Abstract: Inertia control system for a wind turbine comprising a rotor (5), generator (12) driven by the rotor (5) that interacts with a power converter (13) to generate electricity, a wind turbine controller (15) that comprises a blade pitch controller (19) and a generated power controller (18), a controller for the power converter (14) that interacts with the wind turbine controller (15), characterized because it comprises an inertia emulation block (17) that generates an extra power signal (32) negatively proportional to the frequency change rate (23) that is added to the power reference of the wind turbine generated power controller (15) and adapts the rotational speed reference of the wind turbine controller (15) according to the grid frequency (21) to prevent distortion in the active power output after adding or subtracting power in proportion to the frequency change rate (23).

Abstract: A system to cool the air inside a nacelle and the heat generating components housed in the nacelle of an offshore wind turbine is presented. An upper cooling circuit is disposed in the nacelle. A reservoir is disposed below the upper cooling circuit and has a lid that freely rotates about a vertical axis of the reservoir along with an inlet and an outlet pipe of the upper cooling circuit as the nacelle yaws, the vertical axis of the reservoir being coincident with a yaw axis of the nacelle. A lower cooling circuit is disposed below the reservoir. Coolant is circulated through the upper cooling circuit using a cooling pump disposed between the nacelle and the upper cooling circuit. The upper cooling circuit carries heat from the heat generating components and from the air inside the nacelle to the reservoir. The lower cooling circuit carries heat from the reservoir to the bottom of the tower and dissipates the heat to the sea water through a heat exchanger that is cooled by the sea water.

Abstract: Method and module for measuring the rate of change of frequency of a waveform related to a converter unit of a wind turbine generator, comprising: measuring an instantaneous value of said rate of change of frequency of the waveform, calculating a first filtered value of said rate of change of frequency, said first filtered value having good accuracy but low time response, and calculating a second filtered value of said rate of change of frequency said second filtered value having a good time response but low accuracy, comparing said first and second filtered values and selecting that an output value of said measured rate of change is based on said first or second filtered values depending on said comparison.

Abstract: A method for the operation of a variable-speed wind turbine having pitch and torque control means that includes additional steps for providing to the torque control means, in case of an environmental situation where the air density ? is greater than a predetermined value ?ref, i.e. a situation combining low temperature and low height, a reduced nominal generator speed ?nr, instead of the rated nominal generator speed ?n, which is determined dynamically as a function of at least the air pressure Pr, the temperature T and the wind speed V, for decreasing the wind turbine loading. The invention also refers to a control system arranged for performing said regulation.