New Methods for Accurately Detecting Lightning Strikes to Turbines

#WindWebinar

New Methods for Accurately Detecting Lightning Strikes to Turbines

#WindWebinar

q  This webinar will be available afterwards at www.windpowerengineering.com & email

q  Q&A at the end of the presentation q  Hashtag for this webinar: #WindWebinar

Before We Start

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Michelle Froese Moderator Windpower Engineering & Development

Nic Wilson Energy Regional Manager Vaisala

Marty McKewon Director of Business Development, NA Indji Systems


Meet your presenters…

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Agenda

•  The Lightning Problem for Wind Turbines and the Financial Impact

•  Tools for Identification and Analysis •  Leveraging Your Findings with Emerging Technology •  Applying the Technology to Your Business

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What if you could?

•  Monitor the storm in real-time in relation to assets ?

•  Do a post storm analysis of all lightning and see which turbines were hit?

•  Do a next day inspection inexpensively ?

•  Repair the minor damage now and save $$$$ ?

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The Lightning Problem – Financial Impact

•  Lightning Damage = Significant Financial Impact

1.  Lightning strikes

account for 25% of loss claims

2.  Most damage occurs to blades

3.  Blade claims average $240K

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The Lightning Problem

•  Lightning Frequency in the United States.

•  High Frequency in High Wind Production Areas

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•  In high lightning areas the likelihood for turbines to be struck multiple times increases

•  Degradation occurs over time

•  Likelihood for damage increases

Image from: “Overview of a Kansas Wind Farm 2013 Field Program. Presented at the 23rd Annual Lightning Detection Conference, Tucson Arizona.

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The Lightning Problem… What the Future will Bring?

•  Turbine Height Trend •  110-140 meter Turbines

are coming •  What does that mean for

the lightning problem? •  What does that mean for

wind production?

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•  Wind production today •  Strong focus in the central

United States

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•  How improvements in technology change the future of wind production

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•  Greatest areas of growth occur in geographic areas with greatest concentration of lightning!

•  Now factor in even taller turbines = increased strikes and damage

•  Climate change = more lightning?

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Tools for Identification

•  NALDN and how it works. •  Accuracy •  Coverage

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How it works

•  Detects the electromagnetic frequencies emitted by lightning

•  Each sensor has a GPS timer and magnetic direction finder

•  Data is sent to a central processor and displayed within 15 seconds of occurrence

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Accuracy & Coverage

•  Precision (< 150 m location accuracy and > 90% detection efficiency) data is available in 50+ countries

•  Vaisala GLD360 now provides (< 2 km location accuracy and > 70% detection efficiency) data across the entire world

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Tools for Identification and Analysis

•  Ability to view event in

real-time •  Observe the event in

relation to your assets

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Tools for Identification and Analysis •  Ability to perform a post

event analysis •  Time is a short commodity •  Methods must be fast •  Must be simple

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•  Example of methods available today

1.  Selection of asset type

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2. Select asset or wind farm

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3. Select the date and time

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4. Select a window of time to analyze

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4. Hit “Go” and within seconds you have your analysis!

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Interpreting the Results •  Did my turbine get hit? •  How strong was the

strike? •  What is polarity?

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Interpreting the Results •  Taking analysis a step

further.

1.  Lightning Ellipse data 2.  How is this useful?

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Interpreting the Results •  Daily reports can be

generated •  Keep an accounting of a

turbine struck repeatedly •  Valuable for collaborative

decisions

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Leveraging your Findings with Emerging Technology

•  The inspection world will change!

•  The Drones are coming!

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•  Drones will make inspections faster, easier and cheaper.

•  Drones will increase safety of inspections!

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•  3rd party providers 1.  growing list

•  Do it yourself •  Inspections can be “on

demand”

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Applying the Technology to Your Business

•  Analysis of Lightning Data Matters!

1.  Find 25-30% more

damaged blades 2.  Early ID = lower repair

costs 3.  Minimize turbine

downtime due to focused inspections

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Applying the Technology to Your Business

•  Proven Solutions Exist Today!

1.  Simple, Fast and Easy

Methods for Post Storm Analysis

2.  Accurate Data to Make Decisions

3.  Invest Now, Save Later

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What can you conclude?

•  Lightning is a serious problem

•  Technological advances will actually increase the problem

•  Accurate blade inspections will become more important

•  Technology is available today to mitigate the impact of Lightning

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Michelle Froese Moderator Windpower Engineering & Development [email protected]

Nic Wilson Energy Regional Manager Vaisala [email protected]

Marty McKewon Director of Business Development, NA Indji Systems [email protected]


Questions?

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Thank You q  This webinar will be available at

www.windpowerengineering.com & email

q  Tweet with hashtag #WindWebinar

q  Connect with Windpower Engineering & Development

q  Discuss this on EngineeringExchange.com