Integrated micro power for condition-monitoring in energy production facilities

Norge har et betydelig potensial for utnyttelse av off-shore vindkraft. En hovedutfordring på både kort og mellomlang sikt har blitt identifisert som det å gjøre teknologien mer robust og å vesentlig redusere kostnadene. En betydelig andel av levetidskostnaden til et off-shore anlegg er drift og vedlikehold.

Det foreligger et potensial til å redusere disse kostnadene vesentlig ved bruk av tilstandsovervåking som muliggjør en overgang fra periodisk vedlikehold til vedlikehold etter behov. Dette krever utplassering av et stort antall trådløse sensorer på turbinbladene og i girkassen til generatorene. Sensorene trenger strøm, men batterier er problematiske på grunn av størrelse og temperaturforhold. Det er derfor behov for å undersøke alternative energikilder for slike sensorer.

Norway has a considerable potential for expansion in the area

of off-shore wind power generation. The main challenge on both short and intermediately long time-scales has been identified as making the technology more robust and substantially reducing the cost. A major fraction of the life-cycle cost is operation and maintenance. It has the potential to be substantially reduced by use of condition monitoring that allows a transition from periodic maintenance to on-demand replacement or repair. This require s the deployment

of a large number of wireless sensor nodes in the turbine blades and gear boxes of the power plants. The sensors need power, but batteries are problematic due to size and operating conditions.

This project consists of basic research with in the fields of micro energy harvesting and energy storage. The project will promote scientific innovation and advancement through development of technology for self-powered microsystems bringing this field a significant step forward. It focuses on expl oration and development of micro- and nano-technology solutions that enable highly miniaturized self-powered sensor nodes for use in condition monitoring in energy production facilities such as off-shore wind power plants.

The project is a collaboration between Vestfold University College and SINTEF.