Real-time Monitoring of Wind Turbine Generator Shaft Alignment Using Laser Measurement

Shaft Misalignment is one of the most common sources of trouble of wind turbine drive train when rigid couplings connect the shafts. Ideal alignment of the shaft is difficult to be obtained and the couplings attached to the shaft may present angular or parallel misalignment defined also as lateral and axially misalignment. Despite misalignment is often observed in the practice, there are relatively few studies on wind turbine shaft misalignment in the literature and their results are sometimes conflicting. The aim of this research is to use laser based metrology techniques to capture the positional changes of wind turbines in service and aligning drivelines in wind turbine. By using sets of lasers on a shaft alignment rig, and then determining the average and periodic amplitude from an ensemble averaged signal, the degree of misalignment can be found and the necessary corrective action found.