Search results for "Offshore wind power"
showing 10 items of 51 documents
Integrated GNSS/IMU Hub Motion Estimator for Offshore Wind Turbine Blade Installation
2019
Abstract Offshore wind turbines (OWTs) have become increasingly popular for their ability to harvest clean offshore wind energy. Bottom-fixed foundations are the most used foundation type. Because of its large diameter, the foundation is sensitive to wave loads. For typical manually assisted blade-mating operations, the decision to perform the mating operation is based on the relative distance and velocity between the blade root center and the hub, and in accordance with the weather window. Hence, monitoring the hub real-time position and velocity is necessary, whether the blade installation is conducted manually or automatically. In this study, we design a hub motion estimation algorithm f…
Damage identification of a jacket support structure for offshore wind turbines
2020
Offshore jacket structures are regarded as a suitable type of support structure for offshore wind turbines in immediate water depths. Because of the welded tubular members used and environmental conditions, offshore jackets are often subjected to fatigue damages during their service life. Underwater sensors can provide measurements of the structural vibration signals and provide an efficient way to detect damages at early stages. In this work, simplified forms of the damages are assumed, random damages are imposed on the jacket structure, and damaged indicators are established from combination of modal shapes. Then, a response surface is constructed mapping the damage indicators and damages…
Discrete-time static output-feedback H<inf>&#x221E;</inf> controller design for vehicle suspensions
2014
This paper provides a direct and practical presentation of a novel methodology for static output-feedback controller design. The proposed design strategy has been successfully applied in the fields of control systems for seismic protection of large buildings and multi-building structures, control of offshore wind turbines, and active control of vehicle suspensions. The positive results obtained in these initial applications clearly indicate that this approach could be an effective tool in a large variety of control problems, for which an LMI formulation of the statefeedback version of the problem is available. The main objective of the paper is to facilitate a brief and friendly presentatio…
A synthesis of feasible control methods for floating offshore wind turbine system dynamics
2021
Abstract During the past decade, the development of offshore wind energy has transitioned from near shore with shallow water to offshore middle-depth water regions. Consequently, the energy conversion technology has shifted from bottom-fixed wind turbines to floating offshore wind turbines. Floating offshore wind turbines are considered more suitable, but their cost is still very high. One of the main reasons for this is that the system dynamics control method is not well-adapted, thereby affecting the performance and reliability of the wind turbine system. The additional motion of the platform tends to compromise the system’s performance in terms of power maximization, power regulation, an…
A framework for data integration of offshore wind farms
2013
Abstract Operation and maintenance play an important role in maximizing the yield and minimizing the downtime of wind turbines, especially offshore wind farms where access can be difficult due to harsh weather conditions for long periods. It contributes up to 25–30% to the cost of energy generation. Improved operation and maintenance (O&M) practices are likely to reduce the cost of wind energy and increase safety. In order to optimize the O&M, the importance of data exchange and knowledge sharing within the offshore wind industry must be realized. With more data available, it is possible to make better decisions, and thereby improve the recovery rates and reduce the operational costs. This …
Proactive maintenance of offshore wind turbine blades using knowledge-based force analysis
2013
The operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of wind turbines constitute approximately 10-15% of the lifecycle cost in onshore installations and up to 30% in offshore installations. The O&M costs for offshore wind power plants are higher than the onshore ones due to greater logistical challenges of maintaining and servicing, and the less mature state of offshore wind energy technology. Wind turbine blades suffer from various faults, for example, blade angle asymmetry, icing, and bends. These faults may cause wind turbines to a standstill. Replacement of rotor blades will normally result in a long downtime since the replacement process involves heavy transportation (vessel, crane) and dependenc…
Fault Diagnostics for Electrically Operated Pitch Systems in Offshore Wind Turbines
2016
This paper investigates the electrically operated pitch systems of offshore wind turbines for online condition monitoring and health assessment. The current signature based fault diagnostics is developed for electrically operated pitch systems using model-based approach. The electrical motor faults are firstly modelled based on modified winding function theory and then, current signature analysis is performed to detect the faults. Further, in order to verify the fault diagnostics capabilities in realistic conditions, the operating profiles are obtained from FAST simulation of offshore wind turbines in various wind conditions. In this way, the applicability of current signature analysis for …
A Two-Stage Fault Detection and Classification Scheme for Electrical Pitch Drives in Offshore Wind Farms Using Support Vector Machine
2019
Pitch systems are one of the components with the most frequent failure in wind turbines. This paper presents a two-stage fault detection and classification scheme for electric motor drives in wind turbine pitch systems. The presented approach is suitable for application in offshore wind farms with electric pitch systems driven by induction motors as well as permanent magnet synchronous motors. The adopted strategy utilizes three-phase motor current sensing at the pitch drives for fault detection and only when a fault condition is detected at this stage, features extracted from the current signals are transmitted to a support vector machine classifier located centrally to the wind farm. The …
H∞ static output-feedback control design with constrained information for offshore wind turbine system
2013
Abstract This paper deals with H ∞ static output-feedback control design with constrained information for offshore wind turbines. Constrained information indicates that a special zero–nonzero structure is imposed on the static output-feedback gain matrix. A practical use of such an approach is to design a decentralized controller for a wind turbine. This will also benefit the controller in such a way that it is more tolerant to sensor failure. Furthermore, the model under consideration is obtained by using the wind turbine simulation software FAST. Sufficient conditions to design an H ∞ controller are given in terms of Linear Matrix Inequalities ( LMI s ). Simulation results are given to il…
Italian incentive strategy and regulations on small wind power turbines: A critical overview
2016
Small wind power industry in Italy had its kick-start in 2009, after the Government implemented two measures introducing both the simplified regime and incentive rates for small wind power plants. In the last six years, a lot of plants and small wind turbines have been installed in Italy, especially in the South. Aim of this paper is to examine how local standards, incentive policy and regulations have affected the spread of small wind turbines in Italy. After examining national and regional legislation, an analysis of the data on the penetration of wind systems in Italy has been carried out, with particular attention to six Southern regions (Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Apulia, Sardinia…