Preventing Turbine Fires with Early Detection
Offshore wind farms are a cornerstone of renewable energy, but the complex infrastructure involved presents significant challenges.
One critical area of concern is the potential for fire within the intricate network of subsea cables and wind turbine connections. This article introduces an Omni Instruments solution designed to prevent such disasters before they occur.
By closely monitoring cable temperatures and providing real-time alerts, this system safeguards both the environment and substantial financial investments. ?
The Problem
Offshore Wind Farms (OWFs) generate electricity and transmit it to onshore substations via subsea cables. Specialised connectors facilitate the connection between wind turbine cables and these subsea cables.
Improper preparation of conductors, cores, or earthing connections within these connectors can lead to heat generation. This excessive heat can damage or destroy the connector and potentially the connected subsea cable.
The consequences of such failure are significant:
The Basic Solution
The Connector Temperature Sensing System (CTS) enables real-time monitoring of power cable temperatures at offshore wind farm (OWF) endpoints. By detecting abnormal temperature increases, the CTS provides early warning of potential issues related to cable integrity.
Standard OWF configurations typically involve three power cables coming from the windmill turbines and connected to the subsea cables.?Temperature measurements are collected at the precise junction of these cables where they are connected to the endpoint. In some cases, up to nine measurement points may be required.
The CTS comprises a compact, wall-mountable command cabinet housing a data acquisition system. This system reads temperature sensor data, connects to the local area network (LAN) for real-time monitoring, and generates alerts as needed. A cloud-based platform offers remote access, real-time visualisation of all sites, and graphical representations of individual OWF layouts and operational status.
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The Data Acquisition Solution
The CTS utilises a FieldLogger data acquisition system to collect temperature data from up to nine sensors strategically placed on power cables. Cloud-based infrastructure facilitates remote monitoring, configuration adjustments, and alert management.
The FieldLogger accommodates up to six temperature sensors as standard, with an optional expansion to nine sensors. An additional relative humidity and temperature (RHT) sensor can capture local environmental conditions.
All components are housed within a compact, wall-mountable command cabinet equipped with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for up to 48 hours of backup power. A 2.4-inch human-machine interface (HMI) provides sensor status, alerts, and data logger settings.
The CTS offers interoperability through Modbus RTU or Modbus TCP protocols, enabling integration with external devices and software systems.
By implementing the Connector Temperature Sensing System (CTS), offshore wind farm operators can significantly mitigate the risks associated with overheating and potential fires within critical cable connectors.
The CTS provides essential real-time monitoring, early warning capabilities, and remote management tools, enabling proactive maintenance and preventing costly downtime. This technology is crucial for ensuring the long-term reliability and performance of offshore wind farms while safeguarding subsea financial investments.
The CTS offers a robust and scalable solution that can be tailored to various OWF configurations, making it a valuable asset for the industry.
Contact Omni Instruments or head over to our website to learn more:
?? 01382 443 000