Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk material are provided. The disclosure is directed to a portable support structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk material and output bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. The portable support structure may include a frame for receiving and holding the one or more portable bulk material containers in an elevated position proximate the blender hopper, as well as one or more gravity feed outlets for routing the bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. In some embodiments, the portable support structure may be transported to the well site on a trailer, unloaded from the trailer, and positioned proximate the blender unit. In other embodiments, the portable support structure may be a mobile support structure that is integrated into a trailer unit.

Abstract: A method to control the operational status of a wind turbine is provided. An operator communication interface establishes a wireless point-to-point communication to a wind turbine communication interface. The wind turbine communication interface is an integrated part of the wind turbine. A control signal is transmitted from the operator communication interface via the point-to-point communication to the turbine communication interface. The control signal is transferred from the turbine communication interface to an internal control system of the wind turbine. The internal control system of the wind turbine changes the operational status of the wind turbine based on the control signal.

Abstract: A bearing protection arrangement of a journal bearing arranged between a housing and a rotary component of a wind turbine. The bearing protection arrangement includes a wind speed monitor arranged to monitor wind speed in the vicinity of the wind turbine and to generate a wake-up signal when the wind speed exceeds a pre-defined minimum; a mode switch module of a backup battery arranged to provide restart power to an auxiliary of the wind turbine, which mode switch module is adapted to switch the backup battery from a normal-power mode into a low-power mode to conserve sufficient restart power after low wind-speed conditions, and to switch the backup battery from the low-power mode into a normal-power mode in response to the wake-up signal. A wind turbine and a method of protecting a journal bearing of a wind turbine during standstill.

Abstract: Provided is a safety stop valve arrangement of a hydraulic blade pitch system of a wind turbine, including an accumulator arrangement connected over a hydraulic line to a piston of the hydraulic blade pitch system; a redundant set of safety valves arranged between the accumulator arrangement and the piston; a small-orifice restriction nozzle arranged to determine a first rate of hydraulic fluid flow in response to a safety stop input; at least one speed-select valves arranged; and at least one large-orifice restriction nozzle arranged to determine a second rale of hydraulic fluid flow in response to a positive rotor acceleration input, wherein the second rate of fluid flow is faster than the first rate of fluid flow. A safety stop assembly of a wind turbine with hydraulic blade pitch systems and a method of performing a safety stop sequence is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a wind turbine including an active yaw system realized to maintain an upwind orientation of the wind turbine aerodynamic rotor during safe operating conditions, which active yaw system includes a number of yaw drive units, and wherein a yaw drive unit includes a negative brake; a principal power supply configured to supply power to the active yaw system during normal operation of the wind turbine; and a dedicated negative brake reserve power supply configured to supply power to the negative brakes in the event of a grid disconnect. A method of operating such a wind turbine is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a system for determining an amount of oscillating movement of a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a tower, a non-rotating upper part supported by the tower, a rotor having a rotor axis, and a generator for generating electric power. The system includes (a) a sensor unit adapted to provide a rotor speed signal indicative of a rotational speed of the rotor relative to the non-rotating upper part, (b) a filtering unit adapted to, based on the rotor speed signal provided by the sensor unit, provide a filtered signal including information associated with an oscillating movement of the wind turbine, and (c) a processing unit adapted to determine the amount of oscillating movement based on the filtered signal provided by the filtering unit. Furthermore, a wind turbine and a method are described.

Abstract: A method of treating a bearing system including in a wind turbine drive train during storage and/or transport, the drive train including a rotor coupled to a generator, the method includes: controlling the generator to deliver a driving torque causing the rotor to rotate about at least one revolution, in particular more than 100, or more than 1000 revolutions, is provided.

Abstract: A system for fault monitoring a wind turbine is provided. The system includes: (a) a first monitoring device adapted to provide a first monitoring signal, (b) a second monitoring device adapted to provide a second monitoring signal, (c) a third monitoring device adapted to provide a third monitoring signal, and (d) output logic adapted to generate a monitoring output signal indicating that a fault has occurred if at least two of the first monitoring signal, the second monitoring signal, and the third monitoring signal indicate that a fault has occurred. Furthermore, a wind turbine and a method of fault monitoring a wind turbine are described.

Abstract: A method to control the operational status of a wind turbine is provided. An operator communication interface establishes a wireless point-to-point communication to a wind turbine communication interface. The wind turbine communication interface is an integrated part of the wind turbine. A control signal is transmitted from the operator communication interface via the point-to-point communication to the turbine communication interface. The control signal is transferred from the turbine communication interface to an internal control system of the wind turbine. The internal control system of the wind turbine changes the operational status of the wind turbine based on the control signal.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor, a generator and at least one heat generating component. The method includes obtaining a temperature of the heat generating component; determining the presence of a predetermined increase of the temperature of the heat generating component; and upon determining the presence of the predetermined temperature increase, controlling the rotational speed of the generator so as to increase the rotational speed of the generator while not increasing the electrical power output of the generator or while increasing the electrical power output of the generator at a smaller proportion than the increase in rotational speed of the generator so as to reduce the level of electrical current in the generator.

Abstract: Provided is a system for determining an amount of oscillating movement of a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a tower, a non-rotating upper part supported by the tower, a rotor having a rotor axis, and a generator for generating electric power. The system includes (a) a sensor unit adapted to provide a rotor speed signal indicative of a rotational speed of the rotor relative to the non-rotating upper part, (b) a filtering unit adapted to, based on the rotor speed signal provided by the sensor unit, provide a filtered signal including information associated with an oscillating movement of the wind turbine, and (c) a processing unit adapted to determine the amount of oscillating movement based on the filtered signal provided by the filtering unit. Furthermore, a wind turbine and a method are described.

Abstract: The following arrangement for determining actual rotor speed in a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a tower, a non-rotating upper part supported by the tower, a rotor having a rotor axis, and a generator for generating electrical power is provided. The arrangement includes: (a) a first sensor unit adapted to be arranged at the non-rotating upper part of the wind turbine to detect a rotational speed of the rotor, (b) a second sensor unit adapted to detect an angular roll speed of the non-rotating upper part, and (c) a processing unit adapted to determine the actual rotor speed by subtracting the angular roll speed detected by the second sensor unit from the rotational speed detected by the first sensor unit is also provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor, a generator and at least one heat generating component. The method includes obtaining a temperature of the heat generating component; determining the presence of a predetermined increase of the temperature of the heat generating component; and upon determining the presence of the predetermined temperature increase, controlling the rotational speed of the generator so as to increase the rotational speed of the generator while not increasing the electrical power output of the generator or while increasing the electrical power output of the generator at a smaller proportion than the increase in rotational speed of the generator so as to reduce the level of electrical current in the generator.

Abstract: A bearing protection arrangement of a journal bearing arranged between a housing and a rotary component of a wind turbine is provided. The bearing protection arrangement includes a wind speed monitor arranged to monitor wind speed in the vicinity of the wind turbine and to generate a wake-up signal when the wind speed exceeds a pre-defined minimum; a mode switch module of a backup battery arranged to provide restart power to an auxiliary of the wind turbine, which mode switch module is adapted to switch the backup battery from a normal-power mode into a low-power mode to conserve sufficient restart power after low wind-speed conditions, and to switch the backup battery from the low-power mode into a normal-power mode in response to the wake-up signal. A wind turbine and a method of protecting a journal bearing of a wind turbine during standstill is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a safety stop valve arrangement of a hydraulic blade pitch system of a wind turbine, including an accumulator arrangement connected over a hydraulic line to a piston of the hydraulic blade pitch system; a redundant set of safety valves arranged between the accumulator arrangement and the piston; a small-orifice restriction nozzle arranged to determine a first rate of hydraulic fluid flow in response to a safety stop input; at least one speed-select valves arranged; and at least one large-orifice restriction nozzle arranged to determine a second rale of hydraulic fluid flow in response to a positive rotor acceleration input, wherein the second rate of fluid flow is faster than the first rate of fluid flow. A safety stop assembly of a wind turbine with hydraulic blade pitch system and a method of performing a safety stop sequence is also provided.

Abstract: An optical system and method comprising refracting light with a pair of Risley prisms and employing a line-of-sight control unit to adjust the pair.

Abstract: A method for determining a yaw direction of a wind turbine includes the following steps, receiving at a component of the wind turbine a signal broadcasted from a source, determining a direction from the component towards the source based on the received signal, determining the yaw direction of the wind turbine in relation to the determined direction towards the source is provided. Further, a wind turbine and a device as well as a computer program product and a computer readable medium are disclosed for performing the method.

Abstract: A method for operating a direct drive wind turbine including determining a temperature difference between at least two components of a bearing, comparing the temperature information with an upper threshold temperature difference between the at least two components of the bearing, limiting rotational speed of a rotor and/or an at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the rotor and/or below the wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor and/or limiting electric power output of the generator to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal electric power output of the generator, if the temperature difference between the at least two components of the bearing increases above the upper threshold temperature difference, is provided.

Abstract: A method for determining a yaw direction of a wind turbine includes the following steps, receiving at a component of the wind turbine a signal broadcasted from a source, determining a direction from the component towards the source based on the received signal, determining the yaw direction of the wind turbine in relation to the determined direction towards the source is provided. Further, a wind turbine and a device as well as a computer program product and a computer readable medium are disclosed for performing the method.

Abstract: A method for operating a direct drive wind turbine including determining a temperature difference between at least two components of a bearing, comparing the temperature information with an upper threshold temperature difference between the at least two components of the bearing, limiting rotational speed of a rotor and/or an at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the rotor and/or below the wind turbine specific nominal rotational speed of the at least one rotatably supported wind turbine component coupled to the rotor and/or limiting electric power output of the generator to a value unlike zero yet, below a wind turbine specific nominal electric power output of the generator, if the temperature difference between the at least two components of the bearing increases above the upper threshold temperature difference, is provided.