Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines

Wind turbine blades are susceptible to damage from lightning strikes as well as from the repetitive cyclic fatigue loads and the continuously changing temperature and humidity environmental conditions which further increase the failure probability. This paper presents examples of novel vibration mea...

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Main Authors: Al-Hadad, M., Hwais, Abdullah Slebe, McKee, Kristoffer, Howard, Ian
Format: Conference Paper
Published: Engineers Australia 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68914
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author Al-Hadad, M.
Hwais, Abdullah Slebe
McKee, Kristoffer
Howard, Ian
author_facet Al-Hadad, M.
Hwais, Abdullah Slebe
McKee, Kristoffer
Howard, Ian
author_sort Al-Hadad, M.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Wind turbine blades are susceptible to damage from lightning strikes as well as from the repetitive cyclic fatigue loads and the continuously changing temperature and humidity environmental conditions which further increase the failure probability. This paper presents examples of novel vibration measurements on wind turbines that can be utilised to improve condition monitoring methods, further leading to improvements in system reliability. A test rig has been developed to monitor blade behaviour under different transient loads, including the measurement of the main shaft centre line motion in addition to the tower vibration. The novel data acquisition measurement methods include utilizing a slip ring assembly on the turbine hub providing efficient low noise signals for the measurement of the rotating components. Strain gauges have been attached with rotating components and instrumented in the slip ring. Accelerometers and piezoelectric sensors have accompanied the measurement setup in the rotating and non-rotating wind turbine components to assist in giving an improved understanding of the system dynamic behaviour. A servo-motor provides the input transient torque of the main shaft to get the desired velocity as well as velocity control through an encoder coupled to the motor that provides correct phase reference data of the shaft during the rotation. In addition to accelerating the turbine rotation, it has the ability to provide impulsive torsional loading during the operation further exciting the system resonances. Laser displacement sensors have also been instrumented to measure fluctuations of the drive shaft transverse vibration through shaft orbit plots. This paper presents details of the developed test rig components and the novel sensors illustrating the improvements in knowledge that can be gained through comprehensive vibration condition monitoring. Case studies of implanted faults are also provided, clarifying the potential that can be gained for improved fault detection.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T10:39:20Z
format Conference Paper
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T10:39:20Z
publishDate 2017
publisher Engineers Australia
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-689142021-04-14T06:39:45Z Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines Al-Hadad, M. Hwais, Abdullah Slebe McKee, Kristoffer Howard, Ian Wind turbine blades are susceptible to damage from lightning strikes as well as from the repetitive cyclic fatigue loads and the continuously changing temperature and humidity environmental conditions which further increase the failure probability. This paper presents examples of novel vibration measurements on wind turbines that can be utilised to improve condition monitoring methods, further leading to improvements in system reliability. A test rig has been developed to monitor blade behaviour under different transient loads, including the measurement of the main shaft centre line motion in addition to the tower vibration. The novel data acquisition measurement methods include utilizing a slip ring assembly on the turbine hub providing efficient low noise signals for the measurement of the rotating components. Strain gauges have been attached with rotating components and instrumented in the slip ring. Accelerometers and piezoelectric sensors have accompanied the measurement setup in the rotating and non-rotating wind turbine components to assist in giving an improved understanding of the system dynamic behaviour. A servo-motor provides the input transient torque of the main shaft to get the desired velocity as well as velocity control through an encoder coupled to the motor that provides correct phase reference data of the shaft during the rotation. In addition to accelerating the turbine rotation, it has the ability to provide impulsive torsional loading during the operation further exciting the system resonances. Laser displacement sensors have also been instrumented to measure fluctuations of the drive shaft transverse vibration through shaft orbit plots. This paper presents details of the developed test rig components and the novel sensors illustrating the improvements in knowledge that can be gained through comprehensive vibration condition monitoring. Case studies of implanted faults are also provided, clarifying the potential that can be gained for improved fault detection. 2017 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68914 Engineers Australia restricted
spellingShingle Al-Hadad, M.
Hwais, Abdullah Slebe
McKee, Kristoffer
Howard, Ian
Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines
title Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines
title_full Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines
title_fullStr Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines
title_full_unstemmed Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines
title_short Rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines
title_sort rotating and non-rotating sensors for improving condition monitoring of wind turbines
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68914