An evaluation of sensing technologies in a wind turbine blade: some issues, challenges and lessons learned

Mark A. Rumsey

doi:10.1117/12.882024

28 April 2011 An evaluation of sensing technologies in a wind turbine blade: some issues, challenges and lessons learned

Mark A. Rumsey

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7979, Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies 2011; 79790G (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.882024
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2011, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Department of Energy and the Sandia National Laboratories Wind Power Technology Department have initiated a number of wind turbine blade sensing technology projects with a major goal of understanding the issues and challenges of incorporating new sensing technologies in wind turbine blades. The projects have been highly collaborative with teams from several commercial companies, universities, other national labs, government agencies and wind industry partners. Each team provided technology that was targeted for a particular application that included structural dynamics, operational monitoring, non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring. The sensing channels were monitored, in some or all cases, during blade fabrication, field testing of the blade on an operating wind turbine, and lab testing where the life of the blade was accelerated to blade failure. Implementing sensing systems in wind turbine blades is an engineering challenge and solutions often require the collaboration with a diverse set of expertise. This report discusses some of the key issues, challenges and lessons-learned while implementing sensing technologies in wind turbine blades. Some of the briefly discussed topics include cost and reliability, coordinate systems and references, blade geometry, blade composites, material compatibility, sensor ingress and egress, time synchronization, wind turbine operation environments, and blade failure mechanisms and locations.

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Mark A. Rumsey "An evaluation of sensing technologies in a wind turbine blade: some issues, challenges and lessons learned", Proc. SPIE 7979, Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies 2011, 79790G (28 April 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.882024

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