Abstract: A wind turbine system includes turbine blades (16) that turn a low speed shaft (18). A shrink disc coupling (24) radially connects the low speed shaft to a low speed gear box input shaft (22). A brake (26) for the gear box input shaft is operatively connected with the coupling. At least one circuit including a processor controls the brake to keep torsional force on the gear box input shaft below a threshold. The at least one circuit is associated with sensors that can sense conditions away from the gear box input shaft. The at least one circuit can determine when a current condition exists which can cause the threshold to soon be exceeded if preventive braking is not timely applied to the gear box input shaft. The current condition can include a sensed weather condition that is approaching the wind turbine system.

Abstract: A brake interface circuit for use with a hybrid drive system includes a brake interface circuit for selectively enabling and disabling the operation of a brake that is actuated by an actuator. The brake interface circuit includes a brake cylinder and an actuator control valve that is adapted to selectively enable and disable the operation of the brake by the actuator. First and second control valves are connected between the brake cylinder and the actuator control valve. The brake interface circuit is operable in a first operating mode to cause the actuator control valve to enable the operation of the brake by the actuator, a second operating mode to cause the actuator control valve to disable operation of the brake by the actuator, and a third operating mode to cause the actuator control valve to enable the operation of the brake by the actuator even though a portion of the brake interface circuit is operated in the second operating mode.

Abstract: A wind turbine system includes turbine blades (16) that turn a low speed shaft (18). A shrink disc coupling (24) radially connects the low speed shaft to a low speed gear box input shaft (22). A brake (26) for the gear box input shaft is operatively connected with the coupling. At least one circuit including a processor controls the brake to keep torsional force on the gear box input shaft below a threshold. The at least one circuit is associated with sensors that can sense conditions away from the gear box input shaft. The at least one circuit can determine when a current condition exists which can cause the threshold to soon be exceeded if preventive braking is not timely applied to the gear box input shaft. The current condition can include a sensed weather condition that is approaching the wind turbine system.

Abstract: A brake interface circuit for use with a hybrid drive system includes a brake interface circuit for selectively enabling and disabling the operation of a brake that is actuated by an actuator. The brake interface circuit includes a brake cylinder and an actuator control valve that is adapted to selectively enable and disable the operation of the brake by the actuator. First and second control valves are connected between the brake cylinder and the actuator control valve. The brake interface circuit is operable in a first operating mode to cause the actuator control valve to enable the operation of the brake by the actuator, a second operating mode to cause the actuator control valve to disable operation of the brake by the actuator, and a third operating mode to cause the actuator control valve to enable the operation of the brake by the actuator even though a portion of the brake interface circuit is operated in the second operating mode.