Subsea Optical Sensing for Wind Farm Fault Localization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electrical sensors for subsea wind farm architectures require low voltage power supplies, which are challenging to provide over long distances, limiting the reliability and feasibility of fault identification and localization in subsea junction boxes and substations.

Innovation Solution

Implementing passive optical sensors within subsea units that communicate via fibre optic cables directly to onshore or offshore locations, eliminating the need for local power supplies and enabling fault localization and circuit breaker operation based on optical signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional electrical sensors are used in subsea units, then fault detection capability is provided, but local low voltage power supplies are required which are challenging to provide over long distances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault detection capabilityVSAvoidlocal power supply requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional electrical sensors that require local power supplies with passive optical sensors that communicate via fibre optic cables. This substitution eliminates the need for local low voltage power supplies in subsea units, as optical sensors can transmit fault detection data over long distances without requiring local energy sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces fibre optic cables as an intermediary medium to transmit signals from passive optical sensors in subsea units to onshore or offshore monitoring locations. This intermediary enables long-distance communication without requiring local power supplies, resolving the contradiction between providing fault detection capability and avoiding local energy requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If sensors are operated from onshore locations, then costs and complexity are reduced, but signal transmission distance over water is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidsignal transmission distance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces electrical signal transmission with optical signal transmission through fibre optic cables. Optical fibres can transmit signals over much longer distances with lower attenuation compared to electrical signals, enabling onshore operation of sensors even for distant offshore wind farms without significantly increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables reliable fault detection and localization without active power components, reducing costs and complexity by allowing sensors to be operated from onshore or offshore locations, thus enhancing the reliability of subsea electrical networks.

Implementation Method 1

one or more first passive optical sensors within the subsea unit for monitoring an electrical or environmental property within the subsea unit, a first optical fibre bundle extending integrally within, or in proximity to, the power cable

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical sensing: Optical Fibre

Data Source

PatentUS20250314240A1Sensing within a subsea electric architecture in a wind farm

Publication Date: 2025.10.09 EQUINOR ENERGY AS

AI summary

A system for monitoring properties within a subsea electrical architecture of an offshore windfarm including one or more wind turbines incudes first passive optical sensors within the subsea unit for monitoring an electrical or environmental property within the subsea unit, a first optical fibre bundle extending integrally within a power cable, a first optical interconnection unit within the subsea unit and optically coupling one or more optical fibres of the optical fibre bundle to the passive optical sensors, a monitoring unit located at an onshore grid connection point, and a second optical interconnection unit optically coupling one or more optical fibres of the optical fibre bundle to said monitoring unit. The monitoring unit is configured to transmit monitoring light signals along one or more optical fibres of the first optical fibre bundle to said first optical interconnection unit and to localise a fault and/or operate a circuit breaker in dependence upon optical signals transmitted from the or each first passive optical sensor over the first optical fibre bundle.