Winters are particularly harsh for wind farm operators. As ice builds up on the blades, turbines generate less energy, and conventional built-in systems often cause preventive shutdowns for safety reasons. In order to restart the turbine, a visual inspection is needed to confirm that the blades are, indeed, ice free.
But in winter, visual inspections are hampered by the simple fact that it’s often hard to see exactly what’s going on. And even if you manage, it’s a slow and laborious process to get your blades spinning again.
At Polytech, we decided there had to be a better way. So we designed a solution with a fully automatic restart feature. Not only that. It is a rotor-based system that accurately measures the amount of ice directly on each blade. The moment your blades are ready, the turbine restarts, and you’re back in business. No need to wait for inspection.
The system is always active and can detect ice masses also during standstills. This means you are always on track with the icing status of your turbines, even when the turbine is shut down and there is no wind. It’s of course cloud-based, so you have instant information and can make instant decisions.
Polytech’s rotor ice monitoring system is maintenance-free and designed to last the lifetime of your blades. Thanks to extensive testing and validation, it has been certified by DVN-GL. The system is based on fiberoptic sensors that contain no electric components, thus making it immune to lightning strikes. And because the sensors are installed inside the blades, installation is quick and easy. Typically, it can be done in a day, with no need for a crane.
Naturally, Polytech’s state-of-the-art hardware can also be used for condition monitoring. Our fiberoptic sensors can continually monitor the condition of your blades, and should anything happen, you’ll get a notification immediately. How about that for peace of mind all year round?
