Advanced Wind Turbine Controls Input Based on RealTime Loads Measured with Fiber Optical Sensors Embedded in Rotor Blades ewec 2006, Athens 28 February S. Kuhnt, J. Wernicke, R. Byars, J. Shadden (WindForce GmbH)

Main Issues on Wind Power Plants High Operational and Maintenance Costs Reliability below Customer Expectation –MTBF, MTTR Competitiveness of COE Low Insurability Rapid Market Development

FIBRADAPT™ Advanced Wind Turbine Control System Goal Reduction of Structural and Dynamic Loads (extreme and fatigue) Increasing the Lifetime of Wind Turbine Components Component Reliability Improvements (MTBF, MTTR) Project Controlling and Management Parameter Fast Return on Investment (ROI) Investments in Innovation ensure Future Business Opportunities Operational Conditions of a wind turbine

Measuring of Rotor flapwise and edgewise Loads and Frequencies during Operation Traceability of single Events (extreme Loads, emergency Stop etc.) Traceability of fatigue Loads for residual Lifetime Estimation Monitoring of Design Parameter Monitoring of the Component Structure for early Detection of Damages and for determining predictive Maintenance Targets

Installed Measurement System

Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) - Benefits Multiple sensors in a single Fibre –Simple Connectivity, low Sensor Mass No EMI with other operational Systems Higher Measurement Quality and Stability –Solid state Electronics –Lifetime Operation High Reliability of Sensors No EMI, no Corrosion, high Reliability

Control Interface Electronics SpecificationValue Range+/ microstrain range Resolution0.8 microstrain Repeatability (short term)+/- 5 microstrain Repeatability (long term)+/- 10 microstrain No of Sensors100 per channel Maximum sensor distance> 2 km Scan Frequency25 Hz for 20 Sensors Power Requirement A Typical (3W-12Wl) InterfaceEthernet, CANBus, RS422 etc.

FIBRADAPT: Advanced wind turbine controls

Residual Lifetime Estimation Residual Lifetime Estimation is based on Load Cycle Counting during the Operation of the Wind Turbine used for predictive Maintenance.

Structural Monitoring The Occurrence of Cracks and Defects can be detected at an early Stage to prevent catastrophic Failures and lengthy Downtimes. Data can be also used for Ice Load Monitoring.

Active Control Real time Loads act as in Input for Individual Blade Pitch Control especially for large Wind Turbines where the Wind is very turbulent over the Rotor spam.

Integration of FIBRADAPT

FIBRADAPT™ System Additional Applications Integration into the SCADA System Standard Application for Design Verifications Development of a Wind Park Management System based on Load Data Black Box Functionality

Test Installation – Application of FIBRADAPT

Sensor Layout in Test Blade 1

Installation of FIBRADAPT during the Production of the Blade

Bending Moment flapwise

Flap- and edgewise Loads during Operation

Frequency Analysis (Turbine Operation)

Project planning - Outlook Integration of FIBRADAPT into a Serie Development and testing of active Control Algorithms for FIBRADAPT Development of Methods for controlling and operating, based on Variables Development of Methods for assuring the Application Process in Serial Production in Offshore Installations Development of Software for Load Monitoring and Residual Lifetime Estimation

Die Entwicklung wird teilweise finanziert durch Mittel aus dem PFAU Programm der BIS Bremerhaven WindForce GmbH wird unterstützt durch Mittel des GRW Programms des Landes Bremen Thank you for your attention!