Fault prediction techniques for offshore wind farm maintenance and repair strategies

Abstract

Fault prediction and condition monitoring techniques are used in many fields of electrical energy. Most of this techniques are transferable for use in wind energy converters. ISET has been working in the field of condition monitoring and fault prediction in wind energy converters since many years and was significantly involved in the development and testing of the first commercialy available fault prediction system for wind energy application. Today, ISET is working on the integration of fault prediction and maintenance and repair scheduling techniques into wind energy converters in offshore wind farms. Since January 2003 ISET and eight partners, mainly out of the European industry, are cooperating in an EU funded Project 'Advanced maintenance and repair for offshore wind farms using fault prediction and condition monitoring techniques (OffShoreM and R, Contract No.: NNE5-2001-00710)'. This paper introduces the project OffshoreM and R with its objectives and the partners carrying out the work. It also gives an overview of the up to now work in the field of condition monitoring and fault prediction in wind energy converters. Furthermore, approaches will be presented, how to integrate the required hardware and software extensions into wind energy converter technology to perform a condition depending maintenance and repair strategy in offshore wind farms. (orig.)