Abstract: A main shaft assembly of a wind turbine and method for manufacturing the same are provided. Accordingly, the main shaft assembly includes a structural/shaft body defining a cavity therein. The shaft body is configured to transmit a load of the wind turbine developed in response to the wind. An inner body is located within the cavity. The inner body is non-loadbearing with respect to the load. At least one sensor is coupled to the inner body and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the shaft body in response to the load.

Abstract: A main shaft assembly of a wind turbine and method for manufacturing the same are provided. Accordingly, the main shaft assembly includes a structural/shaft body defining a cavity therein. The shaft body is configured to transmit a load of the wind turbine developed in response to the wind. An inner body is located within the cavity. The inner body is non-loadbearing with respect to the load. At least one sensor is coupled to the inner body and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the shaft body in response to the load.

Abstract: A method for determining an amount of water contamination in oil of a gearbox of a wind turbine includes receiving, via a controller, one or more operational parameters of the wind turbine. The method also includes receiving, via the controller, one or more weather conditions at the wind turbine. Further, the method includes calculating, via the controller, the amount of water contamination in the oil of the gearbox as a function of the one or more operational parameters of the wind turbine and the one or more weather conditions at the wind turbine. In addition, the method includes implementing, via the controller, a corrective action based on the calculated amount of water contamination in the oil of the gearbox.

Abstract: A method for replacing an existing generator frame that supports a generator of a wind turbine includes removing the generator from atop the existing generator frame. The method also includes dismounting a control cabinet of the wind turbine from the existing generator frame. More specifically, the control cabinet is electrically connected to one or more wind turbine components via a plurality of cables. The method further includes relocating and securing the control cabinet to an uptower location within a nacelle of the wind turbine with the plurality of cables remaining electrically connected. As such, the method includes removing the existing generator frame from within the nacelle. Moreover, the method includes installing a new generator frame in place of the removed existing generator frame. Thus, the method also includes remounting the control cabinet to the new generator frame.

Abstract: A system includes a resonant sensor in contact with oil within a gearbox of a rotor system, such as a wind turbine, and one or more processors. The sensor includes electrodes and a sensing circuit that generates electrical stimuli having frequencies applied to the oil at different times during a life of the gearbox. The processors receive electrical signals from the resonant sensor representative of impedance responses of the oil to the electrical stimuli. The processors analyze the impedance responses and determine a concentration of a polar analyte in the oil at different times. The processors calculate a degradation value for the gearbox based on the concentration of the polar analyte. Responsive to the degradation value exceeding a designated threshold, the processors at least one of schedule maintenance for the rotor system, provide an alert to schedule maintenance, or prohibit operation of the rotor system until maintenance is performed.

Abstract: A method for replacing an existing generator frame that supports a generator of a wind turbine includes removing the generator from atop the existing generator frame. The method also includes dismounting a control cabinet of the wind turbine from the existing generator frame. More specifically, the control cabinet is electrically connected to one or more wind turbine components via a plurality of cables. The method further includes relocating and securing the control cabinet to an uptower location within a nacelle of the wind turbine with the plurality of cables remaining electrically connected. As such, the method includes removing the existing generator frame from within the nacelle. Moreover, the method includes installing a new generator frame in place of the removed existing generator frame. Thus, the method also includes remounting the control cabinet to the new generator frame.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox bearing of a wind turbine. In particular, a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox of a wind turbine is disclosed. The gearbox has at least one bearing with an outer race and an inner race that rotates with respect to the outer race. The method includes forming a through-hole in a front cover of the gearbox, the front cover being stationary with respect to an axis of rotation of the bearing. The method also includes forming a recess in the outer race of the bearing. Further, the method includes inserting a connecting member through the through-hole and the recess so as to prevent movement of the outer race of the bearing with respect to a torque arm of the gearbox.

Abstract: A system includes a resonant sensor in contact with oil within a gearbox of a rotor system, such as a wind turbine, and one or more processors. The sensor includes electrodes and a sensing circuit that generates electrical stimuli having frequencies applied to the oil at different times during a life of the gearbox. The processors receive electrical signals from the resonant sensor representative of impedance responses of the oil to the electrical stimuli. The processors analyze the impedance responses and determine a concentration of a polar analyte in the oil at different times. The processors calculate a degradation value for the gearbox based on the concentration of the polar analyte. Responsive to the degradation value exceeding a designated threshold, the processors at least one of schedule maintenance for the rotor system, provide an alert to schedule maintenance, or prohibit operation of the rotor system until maintenance is performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox bearing of a wind turbine. In particular, a method for performing up-tower maintenance on a gearbox of a wind turbine is disclosed. The gearbox has at least one bearing with an outer race and an inner race that rotates with respect to the outer race. The method includes forming a through-hole in a front cover of the gearbox, the front cover being stationary with respect to an axis of rotation of the bearing. The method also includes forming a recess in the outer race of the bearing. Further, the method includes inserting a connecting member through the through-hole and the recess so as to prevent movement of the outer race of the bearing with respect to a torque arm of the gearbox.

Abstract: A portable control system for use by an agent in the travel industry and the like is disclosed. A reader reads user data from a user identity document and also reads further user data from a token associated with a product or service. A display is provided for displaying a field of view for the agent. In response to the agent positioning the user identity document and token within the field of view, the reader reads the user data from the document and reads the further user data from the token and compares the user data and further user data.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of integrating oxygen production with blast furnace operation. A heated air stream is introduced to an ion transfer membrane separator, producing a permeate and a retentate. The permeate and the motive stream are introduced into an ejector jet pump producing an oxygen enriched stream. The oxygen enriched stream is introduced into blast furnace. In another embodiment of the present invention, the permeate and a steam motive stream are introduced into an ejector jet pump. Heated air inlet stream is introduced into a cascading series of ion transfer membrane separators, producing a series of permeate streams and a series of retentate streams wherein each retentate stream acts as the input stream for the subsequent ion transfer membrane separator. Thereby producing a series of oxygen enriched streams which are combined and introduced into blast furnace.

Abstract: A portable control system for use by an agent in the travel industry and the like is disclosed. A reader reads user data from a user identity document and also reads further user data from a token associated with a product or service. A display is provided for displaying a field of view for the agent. In response to the agent positioning the user identity document and token within the field of view, the reader reads the user data from the document and reads the further user data from the token and compares the user data and further user data.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of integrating oxygen production with blast furnace operation. A heated air stream is introduced to an ion transfer membrane separator, producing a permeate and a retentate. The permeate and the motive stream are introduced into an ejector jet pump producing an oxygen enriched stream. The oxygen enriched stream is introduced into blast furnace. In another embodiment of the present invention, the permeate and a steam motive stream are introduced into an ejector jet pump. Heated air inlet stream is introduced into a cascading series of ion transfer membrane separators, producing a series of permeate streams and a series of retentate streams wherein each retentate stream acts as the input stream for the subsequent ion transfer membrane separator. Thereby producing a series of oxygen enriched streams which are combined and introduced into blast furnace.

Abstract: A method for producing a syngas stream for use in a blast furnace, including providing a hot air stream to an ion transport membrane, thereby producing a hot nitrogen rich stream and a hot oxygen rich stream, providing a methane stream to the ion transport membrane, wherein the methane reacts with the hot oxygen rich stream thereby producing a syngas containing stream, introducing the syngas containing stream into a CO2 removal unit, thereby producing a carbon dioxide rich stream, and a hydrogen rich stream, and introducing the hydrogen rich stream into a blast furnace, thereby replacing at least a portion of the natural gas fuel required therein.

Abstract: An artificial flower arrangement kit including a flower matching template with separate, full scale pictorial representations of the flowers to be utilized in the kit and a matching numeral associated with each pictorial representation wherein the matching numeral corresponds to a placement numeral associated with a placement marking on a placement template. The placement template is sized for placement on an upper surface of a foam block into which the flowers are to be inserted through the placement template. The pictorial representations are preferably arranged on the matching template in ascending order corresponding with the order in which the flowers are to be inserted into the mounting block.