Electrical switching & drive systems & components


Extending wind turbine service life

Fourth Quarter 2020 Electrical switching & drive systems & components

Operating wind turbines successfully over the longer term is a significant challenge. During the next five years, more than one third of turbines in Germany, Denmark and Spain will reach the end of their intended service lives. Solutions capable of optimising wind turbines and prolonging their useful life – like the retrofit for pitch control systems, complete with rotor blade condition monitoring, co-developed by the companies fos4X and aerodyn – are an important way forward. End-of-life solutions are helping to extend wind turbine service life while significantly increasing overall energy yields. This can also boost the financial appeal of wind power projects as well as bring down energy generation costs.

One way to prolong service life beyond the design life is to reduce the load on the main components. For instance, a 10% reduction in damage-equivalent load at the rotor blade root results in a 50% longer service life. Comprehensive load monitoring allows wind farm operators to monitor the impact of discrete events on rotor blade service life. The same indicators can serve as metrics for understanding differences in behaviour between individual turbines on the same wind farm, enabling operators to identify wake effects (caused by wake currents in slipstreams) in turbines with higher levels of fatigue, as well as damage caused by fluctuations in the rotor blade’s natural frequencies, and yaw and pitch errors due to uneven rotor loading.


Image copyright fos4X, Germany.

The focus of these solutions is on rotor blade sensors and data analytics. The wind turbines are fitted with fos4X’s field-proven sensor system, which is installed inside the rotor blades to protect it from environmental impacts. The sensors reliably deliver valuable data over the entire turbine service life. The solution is calibrated autonomously using algorithms developed by fos4X. Much like a digital twin, the fos4X system produces high quality real-time data needed in subsequent processing. This is used to adjust each rotor blade’s angle of attack in a specially developed approach known as individual pitch control. fos4X can also detect yaw and pitch errors from the load data captured. Correcting these errors leads to a higher energy yield and reduced wear. The solution can also monitor the condition of blades to identify damage or ice build-up. It is the first in the world to monitor rotor blades comprehensively, while at the same time delivering important data for use in digital twins and predictive maintenance.

A variety of data must be captured to implement pitch control. This includes forces acting on the wind turbine. To accomplish this, fos4X installs sensors inside the turbine blades – a process that takes just a day to complete. The purpose-designed algorithm in the retrofit system allows each rotor blade to respond individually in real time to load fluctuations and to compensate for loads as they arise. This can substantially reduce the effective load borne, which reduces wear on the various turbine components.

For access to the wind turbine’s control system, communication is critical. This is where Beckhoff comes in as a strategic partner – and the openness of PC-based control plays a central role. Wind generating facilities typically use a heterogeneous mix of components from different vendors, and integration with the equipment already deployed is key. As an open platform that supports all common fieldbus standards, including EtherCAT, CANopen, Profibus and Profinet, PC-based control enables simple and flexible integration with any solution. The combination of modular hardware with the high speed communication capabilities and flexible topology of EtherCAT makes the system perfectly adaptable to the requirements.

The solution from fos4X operates as an EtherCAT slave, so it is exceptionally simple to incorporate into a PC-based control system. However, it can integrate just as easily with any other controller, making it suitable both for retrofits to existing turbines and for installation in new turbine systems. If required, the system can also be expanded on a modular basis using Beckhoff EtherCAT terminals to capture strain, vibration and temperature information, for instance.

The controller developed by aerodyn is implemented as a TwinCAT TcCOM module, which means it will work on any embedded or control cabinet PC running TwinCAT 3 software. TwinCAT also makes connecting fos4X sensors simple. Plus, by adding TwinCAT 3 functions for OPC UA, IoT and database connectivity, integration with existing scada systems can be accomplished with little effort.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

New generation low power frequency inverters
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG Electrical switching & drive systems & components
New to BMG’s electromechanical range are energy-efficient Synergy PI150 series frequency inverters, which have been designed for efficient use in many applications.

Read more...
Planar motor system for quality assurance
Beckhoff Automation Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Achieving the shortest possible inspection times, even when working with different components, is paramount when it comes to series production. This is precisely what special machine builder, stoba Sondermaschinen set out to achieve with its InspectorONE optical inspection system, which is based on deep learning and features the Beckhoff XPlanar planar motor system at the conveyor system core.

Read more...
Siemens elevates automotive and aerospace simulation
Siemens South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the latest update to its Simcenter portfolio, delivering advancements in aerostructure analysis, electric motor design, gear optimisation and smart virtual sensing. These enhancements are designed to streamline workflows, accelerate certification and provide deeper insights into system performance.

Read more...
Turbomachinery controls: the call of duty
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
There’s a lot to be said about the unsung heroes of this world; those men, women and machines that deliver such important functions, often overlooked and recognised. One such machine is turbomachinery, and while the name does sound quite obvious to the layman, its rich history and daily functions are not.

Read more...
More movement in the market
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Aerotech aims to revolutionise the market for precision motion and machine controls with an intuitive control platform.

Read more...
Robotic solution for adhesive tape application with flexible control
Beckhoff Automation Editor's Choice Robotics & Mechatronics
In industry, even elaborate processes, such as the application of adhesive tape to parts with varying geometries are automated. Innovative Automation has developed a platform with Beckhoff control technology and a remote feeding module, which increases productivity and enables flexible customisation for different requirements.

Read more...
Motion technology for all types of automation
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG News & events Electrical switching & drive systems & components
BMG has been appointed by The Timken Company as a distributor in southern Africa for the Rollon linear motion guidance system.

Read more...
Servo motor series for explosive environments with expanded certification
Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Parker Hannifin’s ongoing commitment to safety and performance in hazardous environments is evident in the new certifications and product improvements for its EY and EX servo motor series.

Read more...
The world’s most powerful worm
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Geothermal energy from the natural heat of the Earth is an inexhaustible resource, yet the growth of the global geothermal power sector lags behind other renewable energies. Now Swiss startup, Borobotics is hoping to speed this up with its innovative new electric-powered geothermal drilling robot, which can be used to fast-track and lower the cost of heat pump installations in confined spaces.

Read more...
The impact of gearless mill drive technology on CO2 emissions
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
ABB has released an in-depth white paper detailing the vital role that gearless grinding technologies can play in driving productivity in mining while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint.

Read more...