Wind energy installation

Abstract

The invention relates to a wind energy installation ( 10 ) having a rotor ( 18 ) which can be driven by wind and has at least one rotor blade ( 22 ), having a generator for conversion of the mechanical energy of the rotor ( 18 ) to electrical energy, and having a tower ( 14 ) on which the rotor ( 18 ) is arranged, in which the rotor blade ( 22 ) has one or more additional masses ( 36, 40 ) and/or active and/or passive oscillation dampers ( 24 ), which are designed in such a manner that movements of the rotor blade ( 22 ), in particular oscillations, which are initiated by external influences and are directed towards the tower or away from it are prevented and/or damped. The invention also relates to a method for operation of a wind energy installation, preferably of an off-shore wind energy installation, in which one or more components of the wind energy installation, preferably the tower ( 14 ), have opposing vibration applied to them in order to reduce/prevent sound waves which result from component vibration and disturb animals and/or people, which opposing vibration counteracts vibration (which produces sound) of the component ( 14 ), and reduces or prevents this component vibration.

1 . Wind energy installation having a rotor ( 18 ) which can be driven by wind and has at least one rotor blade ( 22 ), having a generator for conversion of the mechanical energy of the rotor ( 18 ) to electrical energy, and having a tower ( 14 ) on which the rotor ( 18 ) is arranged, characterized in that the rotor blade ( 22 ) has one or more additional masses ( 42 ) and/or active and/or passive oscillation dampers, which are designed in such a manner that movements of the rotor blade ( 22 ), in particular oscillations, which are initiated by external influences and are directed towards the tower ( 14 ) and/or away from it are prevented and/or damped.  
     
     
         2 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the additional mass or masses ( 42 ) is or are arranged and/or designed to vary the natural oscillation frequency of the rotor ( 16 ) or of the rotor blade ( 22 ) in such a manner that the resultant natural oscillation frequency of the system comprising additional masses ( 42 ) and the rotor blade ( 22 ) is outside the value range of the excitation frequencies to be expected for the installation in the predetermined conditions.  
     
     
         3 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the additional masses ( 42 ) and/or the active and/or the passive oscillation dampers are arranged in the interior of the rotor blades ( 22 ).  
     
     
         4 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the active and/or passive oscillation dampers can be used to initiate movement impulses of the rotor blade ( 22 ) which counteract the movements of the rotor blade ( 22 ) which are directed towards and/or away from the tower ( 14 ), and at least partially compensate for them.  
     
     
         5 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the movement impulses which compensate for the movements which are directed towards the tower ( 14 ) can be initiated as soon as the movement which is directed towards the tower ( 14 ) starts, or at a time immediately before or after this.  
     
     
         6 . Wind energy installation having a rotor ( 18 ) which can be driven by wind and has at least one rotor blade ( 22 ), having a generator for conversion of the mechanical energy of the rotor ( 18 ) to electrical energy, and having a tower ( 14 ) on which the rotor ( 18 ) is arranged, characterized in that the wind energy installation ( 10 ) has an active oscillation damper ( 24 ) for production of movement impulses which counteract any movement of the tower ( 14 ) of the wind energy installation which is initiated by external influences.  
     
     
         7 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the tower ( 14 ) of the wind energy installation ( 10 ) and/or the pod ( 16 ) have/has the active oscillation damper ( 24 ).  
     
     
         8 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the active oscillation damper ( 24 ) is arranged in the interior of the tower ( 14 ) and/or in the interior of the pod ( 16 ).  
     
     
         9 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the active oscillation damper ( 24 ) is designed in such a manner that the movement impulse which can be initiated by it counteracts a tower movement which is produced by each rotor blade ( 22 ) passing the tower.  
     
     
         10 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the active oscillation damper ( 24 ) has at least two masses ( 36 ,  40 ) which contrarotate about, in particular, a common rotation axis, with each mass ( 36 ,  40 ) being unbalanced about the rotation axis.  
     
     
         11 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the rotation axis runs vertically.  
     
     
         12 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the rotating masses ( 36 ,  40 ) are arranged in such a manner, and the rotation frequencies of the rotating masses ( 36 ,  40 ) are matched to one another, in such a manner that an opposing impulse, in the opposite direction to the movement which is initiated by external influences, can be initiated.  
     
     
         13 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the rotation frequency of the masses ( 36 ,  40 ) is matched to the number of rotor blades ( 22 ) in accordance with the following formula:  
       
         
           
             
               
                 Frequency 
                 
                   mass 
                   ⁢ 
                   
                       
                   
                   ⁢ 
                   rotation 
                 
               
               = 
               
                 
                   Frequency 
                   
                     rotor 
                     ⁢ 
                     
                         
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     blade 
                   
                 
                 
                   Number 
                   ⁢ 
                   
                       
                   
                   ⁢ 
                   of 
                   ⁢ 
                   
                       
                   
                   ⁢ 
                   rotor 
                   ⁢ 
                   
                       
                   
                   ⁢ 
                   blades 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     
         14 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the wind energy installation ( 10 ) has sensors by means of which it is possible to detect movements of the rotor blade ( 22 ) which are directed away from or towards the tower ( 14 ), and/or movements of the tower ( 14 ).  
     
     
         15 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 14 , characterized in that, after detection of movements of the rotor blade ( 22 ) which are directed towards the tower ( 14 ) and/or movements of the tower ( 14 ), suitable opposing impulses, which at least partially compensate for these movements, of the active oscillation dampers can be initiated.  
     
     
         16 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the instantaneous speed of revolution of the rotor blade ( 22 ) can be determined by means of a suitable sensor unit, in which case the time at which the rotor blade ( 22 ) subsequently passes the tower can be determined in advance from the speed of revolution by means of a suitable computer unit, and in which case impulses of the active oscillation dampers can be initiated at a calculated time of passing the tower.  
     
     
         17 . Method for operation of a wind energy installation having a rotor ( 18 ) which can be driven by wind and has at least one rotor blade ( 22 ), having a generator for conversion of the mechanical energy of the rotor ( 18 ) to electrical energy, and having a tower ( 14 ) on which the rotor ( 18 ) is arranged, the rotor blade ( 22 ) having one or more additional masses ( 42 ) and/or active and/or passive oscillation dampers, which are designed in such a manner that movements of the rotor blade ( 22 ), in particular oscillations, which are initiated by external influences and are directed towards the tower ( 14 ) and/or away from it are prevented and/or damped, and sensors by means of which it is possible to detect movements of the rotor blade ( 22 ) which are directed away from or towards the tower ( 14 ), and/or movements of the tower ( 14 ), characterized in that, after detection of any movement, which is initiated by external influences, of components of the wind energy installation, in particular rotor blade and/or tower movements, and/or at times at which such movements are expected, movement impulses which counteract the movements are initiated by means of one or more active oscillation dampers.  
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 17 , characterized in that the additional mass or masses ( 42 ) is or are arranged and/or designed to vary the natural oscillation frequency of the rotor ( 16 ) or of the rotor blade ( 22 ) in such a manner that the resultant natural oscillation frequency of the system comprising additional masses ( 42 ) and the rotor blade ( 22 ) is outside the value range of the excitation frequencies to be expected for the installation in the predetermined conditions.  
     
     
         19 . Method for operation of a wind energy installation, preferably of an off-shore wind energy installation, with the wind energy installation ( 10 ) having a rotor ( 18 ) with at least one rotor blade ( 22 ), a generator for conversion of the mechanical energy of the rotor ( 18 ) to electrical energy, as well as a tower ( 14 ) on which the rotor ( 18 ) is arranged, characterized in that one or more components ( 14 ) of the wind energy installation ( 10 ), preferably the tower ( 14 ), have opposing vibration applied to them in order to reduce/prevent sound waves which result from component vibration and disturb animals and/or people, which opposing vibration counteracts vibration (which produces sound) of the component ( 14 ), and reduces or prevents this component vibration.  
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 19 , characterized in that the wind energy installation is in the form of an off-shore wind energy installation, with opposing vibration being applied at least to that tower section which is covered by water, such that vibration (which produces sound and disturbs marine animals) of this tower section is reduced or prevented.  
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 19 , characterized in that one or more sensors detect or detects component vibration which causes sound waves, and in that the opposing vibration is applied as a function of the detected component vibration, in particular as a function of the frequency and the amplitude of the detected component vibration.  
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 19 , characterized in that the component has opposing vibration applied to it, whose amplitude and/or frequency at least approximately match/matches the amplitude of the detected component vibration, and preferably are/is identical to it.  
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 19 , characterized in that the frequency or frequencies of the opposing vibration originates or originate from the frequency range which is audible by animals and/or people.  
     
     
         24 . Wind energy installation, having a rotor ( 18 ) which can be driven by wind and has at least one rotor blade ( 22 ), having a generator for conversion of the mechanical energy of the rotor ( 18 ) to electrical energy, and having a tower ( 14 ) on which the rotor ( 18 ) is arranged, characterized in that the wind energy installation ( 10 ) has at least one vibration generator, via which one or more components ( 14 ) of the wind energy installation, preferably the tower ( 14 ), can have opposing vibration applied to it or them in order to reduce/prevent sound waves which result from component vibration and are disturbing to animals and/or people, which opposing vibration counteracts vibration (which produces sound) of the component ( 14 ), and reduces or prevents this component vibration.  
     
     
         25 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 24 , characterized in that the vibration generator has masses or mass bodies ( 52 ) which can be moved controllably, are directly or indirectly connected to the component ( 14 ) and can be moved relative to the component ( 14 ) in order to produce the vibration, and in particular can be accelerated and/or braked.  
     
     
         26 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 24 , characterized in that the vibration generator has one or more mass bodies ( 52 ) in the interior of the tower ( 14 ), which mass body or bodies ( 52 ) can be moved relative to the tower ( 14 ) and can be moved controllably on a plane which runs at least approximately horizontally.  
     
     
         27 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 26 , characterized in that each mass body ( 52 ) which can be moved controllably is guided along a guidance direction, preferably a guide straight line, which runs at least approximately from the tower center to the tower edge area, preferably along a radial direction with respect to a circular tower cross section.  
     
     
         28 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 27 , characterized in that the movable mass bodies ( 52 ) are distributed approximately in the form of a star over the tower cross section.  
     
     
         29 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 27 , characterized in that at least two mass bodies ( 52 ) which can be moved controllably independently of one another are arranged along a specific guidance direction, namely a specific guide straight line, preferably along a specific radial direction with respect to a circular tower cross section.  
     
     
         30 . Wind energy installation according to  claim 23 , characterized in that one or more sensors for detection of component vibration is or are arranged on the component ( 14 ), in particular on the tower ( 14 ).