Small, compact, and functional blade monitoring system

The SHM.Blade and IDD.Blade systems from W̦lfel Wind Systems allow structural damage and icing on the blade to be detected easily and efficiently. Structural Noise Sensors (SNS) are fiber-optically connected and measure vibrations and sound directly in the individual rotor blades. The storage and evaluation of the recorded sensor data is carried out in the Data Acquisition and Processing Unit (DAPU) in the hub. Taking into account the operating and environmental conditions provided by the wind turbine control system, the system automatically calculates condition indicators that provide information on the blade condition around the clock. By means of a warning and alarm setup, the control system is notified about critical deviations from the previously determined reference condition whereupon it can initiate countermeasures. Due to the small number of components and the compact sensors, SHM.Blade and IDD.Blade require very little installation space. Thanks to the robust hardware and the extended temperature range from -40ʡF to 140ʡF (-40ʡC to 60ʡC), they can also be used under almost all environmental and weather conditions. In addition, lightning protection has been optimized; metal-free cables with optical fibers make the system immune to electromagnetic radiation and there is no risk of flashover in the event of a lightning strike. In addition to optimizing the hardware, the revision also brings improvements in product functionality. The evaluation of the data can still be carried out via the external Monitoring Intelligence Center MIC.Wind. Via a web interface, the user can recognize the turbine's state at a glance.

Wölfel Wind Systems | www.woelfel.de


Volume: 2019 May/June