Fusion of a FBG-based health monitoring system for wind turbines with a fiber-optic lightning detection system

Sebastian G. M. Krämer; Benjamin Wiesent; Mathias S. Müller; Fernando Puente León; Yarú Méndez Hernández

doi:10.1117/12.783602

16 May 2008 Fusion of a FBG-based health monitoring system for wind turbines with a fiber-optic lightning detection system

Sebastian G. M. Krämer, Benjamin Wiesent, Mathias S. Müller, Fernando Puente León, Yarú Méndez Hernández

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7004, 19th International Conference on Optical Fibre Sensors; 70040O (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.783602
Event: 19th International Conference on Optical Fibre Sensors, 2008, Perth, WA, Australia

Abstract

Wind turbine blades are made of composite materials and reach a length of more than 42 meters. Developments for modern offshore turbines are working on about 60 meters long blades. Hence, with the increasing height of the turbines and the remote locations of the structures, health monitoring systems are becoming more and more important. Therefore, fiber-optic sensor systems are well-suited, as they are lightweight, immune against electromagnetic interference (EMI), and as they can be multiplexed. Based on two separately existing concepts for strain measurements and lightning detection on wind turbines, a fused system is presented. The strain measurement system is based on a reflective fiber-Bragg-grating (FBG) network embedded in the composite structure of the blade. For lightning detection, transmissive &fiber-optic magnetic field sensors based on the Faraday effect are used to register the lightning parameters and estimate the impact point. Hence, an existing lightning detection system will be augmented, due to the fusion, by the capability to measure strain, temperature and vibration. Load, strain, temperature and impact detection information can be incorporated into the turbine's monitoring or SCADA system and remote controlled by operators. Data analysis techniques allow dynamic maintenance scheduling to become a reality, what is of special interest for the cost-effective maintenance of large offshore or badly attainable onshore wind parks. To prove the feasibility of this sensor fusion on one optical fiber, interferences between both sensor systems are investigated and evaluated.

Citation Download Citation

Sebastian G. M. Krämer, Benjamin Wiesent, Mathias S. Müller, Fernando Puente León, and Yarú Méndez Hernández "Fusion of a FBG-based health monitoring system for wind turbines with a fiber-optic lightning detection system", Proc. SPIE 7004, 19th International Conference on Optical Fibre Sensors, 70040O (16 May 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.783602

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