Add-on instrumentation system for wind turbines

The Windsense project is aimed at developing improved instrumentation and data interpretation methods to reduce O&M costs of Wind Power Turbines. The project will address the Wind Farm operators's need for an add-on instrumentation system that is able to collect technical condition and lifetime related parameters from components in a wind turbine and then to analyse these data primarily for prediction of component degradation and estimation of remaining lifetime. A main goal is to develop sensors and syst em components that allow on-line acquisition and analysis of such data which are currently only obtained by operator handheld equipment. The project will identify needs for additional instrumentation, and where necessary develop better and more reliable sensors and sensing methods, improved data processing and interpretation methods. The add-on instrumentation system will be applicable for evaluation of wind farm design criteria and for introduction of new technology, e.g. direct drive and high voltag e generators, smart rotor blades, new wear resistant materials for gear mesh and bearings, and novel power electronics converters. Future maintenance, modification and repair of wind turbines will be based on the measured technical condition of systems and components. To be able to operate within a condition based framework there is a need to further develop the sensing and analytical capabilities to better performance in detection of faults and anomalies. There is a substantial R&D challenge in develop ing sensor technologies for increased on-line monitoring and processing capabilities while also developing the analytical models and methods utilising such information. Another R&D challenge lies within a technology shift where the industry is going from land based to offshore wind farms. This calls for an increase in the ability to remotely monitor wind turbines and hence more reliable sensors and instrumentation is required.