INDUSRTY ARTICLE
The power of energy harvesting
The potential to power greater reliability in wind energy
A NEW EUROPEAN-WIDE PROJECT IS HOPING TO STANDARDISE ENERGY HARVESTING DEVICES FOR COMMERCIAL USE. THESE TINY SCAVENGERS OF ENERGY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO POWER AUTONOMOUS SENSORS, HELPING TO AVOID BLADE CRACKING FAILURE AND INCREASING THE LIFETIME OF COMPONENTS, EXPLAINS PROFESSOR MARKYS CAIN
Energy harvesting technology is on the up and wind power companies should be taking notice. All round Europe manufacturers are developing tiny devices that fit inside industrial machinery and capture waste heat and vibration energy. Energy harvesting is bringing forward the potential for autonomous wireless monitoring of industrial machinery over significant timespans, increasing reliability and reducing the risk of component failure. Wind turbines could be in line to benefit.
MONITORING
The monitoring and economical design of wind turbines is increasingly critical. Tiny fractures within turbine blades, left undetected can lead to sudden and catastrophic failure. Incidents of blade failure in recent years at Whitelee and Crystal Rig in Scotland have resulted in wind-farms being shut down, cost millions of pounds to repair and provided further ammunition to those who doubt wind power’s long term role in our energy future.
THE NEED TO ENSURE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
With increasing blade size, the need to ensure structural integrity becomes even more important. On average, blades require repair or even replacement five times each year - a fact that negatively affects the long-term profitability of wind turbines. It is made worse as blades are manufactured from various non-metallic materials, notoriously difficult to inspect by conventional non-destructive methods such as ultrasound and radiography. Thus the acquisition of dynamic output data can be a time-consuming and costly process.
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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk INTEGRATED SENSORS
To address this issue, sensors can be integrated within the blade to monitor structural health at various critical locations. However, existing cable-based monitoring systems are challenging and costly to install and leave the turbines vulnerable to lightning.
The most practical method for deploying these sensors is through a network of wireless sensor nodes. They don’t require hardwiring and reduce the interruption of power generation and interference with blade aerodynamics. These tiny autonomous monitoring systems can extend the life of machines and structures, significantly reducing operating costs and enhancing safety.
MORE EFFICIENT MONITORING
Where sensor networks were once seen as an expensive and troublesome solution, the increasing reliability of energy harvesting devices on time scales of 15-20 years means a combination of economic, safety and environmental factors are proving a particularly strong draw for industry budget holders. Also, as pressure from local authorities forces wind power generators further offshore, monitoring them with wireless systems becomes a lot more efficient.
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