INDUSTRY NEWS
SCAIME UNVEILS THE MDX-400 – INTERROGATOR SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR WIND TURBINES
Scaime, a leading player in weighing and measuring solutions for industry, has unveiled its fibre optic sensor conditioner, the MDX-400, specially designed for wind turbines. Scaime has been manufacturing strain gauges for almost two decades, which underpins it’s vast knowledge in this area. The MDX-400 is the first application for monitoring structures (foundations, mast and blades) to protect them and keep them operational while at the same time optimising maintenance operations.
The MDX-400 enables the level of fatigue in the structure to be assessed and a decision made on when to intervene, by totalling the accumulated stresses. A second application provides the improvement of efficiency by measuring the stresses, since the wind force can be used optimally by taking better account of the dynamic parameters.
BRAGG’S LAW The MDX-400, developed and assembled by Scaime, is based on the use of optical gauges with a Bragg grating. A Bragg grating is made from an optical fibre with alternating different refractive indices. When subjected to mechanical stress or a temperature variation the wavelength of the reflected beam varies proportionally. By analysing the optical beam, the MDX- 400 calculates the value of the stress or temperature being applied to the grating.
Canadian-born Ken Hill was the first to show the potential applications of Bragg’s law at the end of the 1970s. Since that time these optical gauges have proved very useful in metrological performances and properties for all sorts of applications, especially in wind turbines.
ADVANTAGES Patrick Rey, head of products at Scaime, said: “Firstly, the MDX-400 is completely insensitive to electromagnetic interference, lightning in particular. Another advantage is that they are intrinsically very robust with high fatigue resistance. Thus, they can maintain their metrological performance level for 20 years or more in severe climate conditions (humidity, salt, cold, heat) and on components under permanent stress. Optical gauges also enable a significant reduction in wiring because around fifteen gauges can be wired in series on the same optical line with no limit on length. And finally, thanks to its properties, this technology enables simple and easy compensation of any thermal drift, thus avoiding the need for any corrections”.
EXPERIENCE After acquiring the French start-up FOS in 2010, Scaime penetrated the Bragg grating optical fibre market with the benefit of ten years’ experience in fields as demanding as military, civil engineering and safety applications. As well as strain gauges (the OBSG range), the company has developed temperature sensors (the OBTS range) and a range of electronic interrogators (MDX). Used with sensors, these interrogators generate and use optical signals to calculate values of stresses or temperatures.
MAIN DIFFERENCE To adapt to the wind turbine market, the company has developed a purpose- designed electronic module, the MDX- 400. “The main difference stands out straight away: the MDX-400 is enclosed in a stainless steel casing to withstand aggressive environments, especially salty air (particularly relevant to wind turbines near the sea and offshore). It has a good level of water tightness (to IP66) and is resistant to vibrations and shocks, both omnipresent in wind turbines. The connections between the MDX-400 casing and the optical lines are also very robust” Patrick Rey added.
The device has been well dimensioned for wind turbine applications, both in terms of measurement channels (3 or 4 optical lines of 15 sensors each) and measurement rate (100 per second).
IMPORTANT FEATURE Another important feature of the MDX-400 is a CANopen fieldbus interface, available on a robust waterproof connector to transmit the measurements to the PLC on the turbine. It also has an embedded web server and a ruggedized Ethernet connection for remote parameterising.
Scaime
www.scaime.com e = See enhanced entry online
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk 15
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