Icing Detection and Temperature measurement on wind turbine rotor blades

Ice accretion on wind turbine rotor blades in cold climates has significant impact on operations and maintenance. Besides reduced energy yield due to aerodynamic imbalances, avoiding safety risks for both the turbine and its environment is the common goal.

For early and precise detection and quantification of ice accretion, eologix offers sensor systems based on wireless, mechanically flexible and energy autonomous smart sensors which are sticked directly on the blade surface, also as a retrofit solution.

System components

Sensors

Wireless and mechanically flexible smart sensors are nearly infinitely powered by daylight. Each sensor measures temperature at an accuracy of 0.25°C and delivers information on the surface icing status in several discrete levels. Thanks to the unique, patented mechanical structure (including mechanical flexibility and a thickness of below 2mm), the sensors can be mounted on nearly every position of the rotor blade, but also on other structures such as the nacelle or the tower. Mounting is carried out by means of self-adhesiv, industry-standard erosion protection tape.

Base station

The base station (one per turbine) receives the data packets over a radio link and is typically mounted in the nacelle close to the top box, but can also be located at the spinner, in the tower or on ground. Multiple data interfaces are offered such as ModbusTCP, relay contacs, GSM/3G, Ethernet in order to transfer the measurement data to the turbine controller, SCADA systems and/or condition monitoring systems.

Solutions

eologix safe: Stop at ice start

According to the DNV-GL certificate, this mode can be used to stop the turbine because of safety relevant icing of the wind turbine rotor blades. Additional to the sensors of the safe system further sensors can be integrated customer specific.

eologix restart: Automatic restart

Für die Detektion der Eisfreiheit und somit den automatischen Wiederanlauf ist eine höhere Anzahl an Sensoren notwendig als nur für die Eisdetektion und diese  ist auch abhängig von der Blattlänge. Bei einem eologix restart – System werden die nötigen Positionen für die Eisdetektion mehrfach abgedeckt. Dadurch ist jedes eologix restart System auch für die Funktion Eisdetektion geeignet.

Customer specific solution: Preventive Heating - eologix free

Based on the exact ice thickness measurement at each sensor, icing conditions on the rotor blade can be detected and quantified at an early stage. Depending on location and turbine type, different conditions can be set to automatically activate blade heating during operation, where available. Integration in the turbine is depending on the turbine OEM. eologix offers multiple interfaces for control system integration as well as an optional monitoring system including e.g. automated e-Mail and short message alerts.

References