Wind turbine including sensor assembly and method of operating such

• Main Authors: Fisas Camanes, Albert, Davoust, Samuel, Herrig, Andreas
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.10.2019
• Subjects: BLASTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GEARING; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; MEASURING; MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION,OR SHOCK; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PHYSICS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER; TESTING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS; WIND MOTORS; WIND, SPRING WEIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS MOTORS

A wind turbine includes a hub configured to rotate about an axis at a first rotation speed and at least one blade coupled to the hub. The wind turbine also includes a sensor assembly configured to detect at least one characteristic of wind flowing through the wind turbine. The sensor assembly is mounted to the hub. The sensor assembly includes a laser device configured to emit a laser beam and at least one optical element configured to direct the laser beam. The sensor assembly also includes a non-motorized mechanism configured to rotate the at least one optical element at a second rotation speed when the hub rotates at the first rotation speed. The second rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed.