Wind Park Power Cable Stress Monitoring for Load Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wind park power cables frequently fail due to erosion or overheating, leading to high maintenance and resource costs, and are often over-dimensioned to mitigate failure risk, increasing manufacturing and implementation efforts.
Innovation Solution
A method of monitoring stress parameters on power cables to predict potential failures and reducing electrical power transport when necessary to avoid cable stress, using sensors, models, and control systems to reroute or curtail power generation, thereby preventing cable failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power cables are over-dimensioned to mitigate failure risk, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing and implementation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the power cable by dynamically adjusting the electrical current load based on monitored stress parameters (temperature, mechanical stress, electrical load). This allows the cable to operate within safe stress limits rather than requiring permanent over-dimensioning, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous monitoring of cable stress parameters and uses this feedback to dynamically control the power output of wind turbines. When stress thresholds are approached, the system reduces power flow through the cable, creating a closed-loop control that prevents failures without requiring oversized cables.
2Reliability
If regular cable surveys and maintenance are performed, then reliability is improved, but loss of time and productivity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of stress parameters continuously during normal operation, detecting potential failure conditions before they materialize. This allows maintenance to be planned in advance rather than requiring emergency interventions, reducing unplanned downtime while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable monitoring system operates autonomously during normal power transmission, using the cable itself as the sensing medium without requiring separate inspection activities. The system self-diagnoses stress conditions and triggers protective actions automatically, eliminating the need for regular manual surveys and reducing maintenance time.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If electrical power is reduced to prevent cable stress, then cable lifetime is extended, but power output and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power flow through the cable based on real-time stress conditions rather than maintaining a static reduced power level. When stress parameters indicate safe operating conditions, full power is transmitted; when thresholds are approached, power is temporarily reduced. This dynamic approach extends cable lifetime while minimizing impact on overall productivity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method (300) of controlling electrical power transported on one or more power cables (120, 130, 140, 150) of a wind park (100) is provided. Each of the one or more power cables is configured to transport electrical power generated by one or more wind turbines (101) comprised in the wind park. The method comprises for at least one power cable of the one or more power cables monitoring (S301) oonnee or more stress parameters indicative of stress acting on the power cable to generate a monitored stress parameter, determining (S302), based on at least the monitored stress parameter, whether a reduction of the stress on the power cable is required, and, when the reduction is required, reducing (S303) the electrical power transported on the power cable to reduce the stress acting on the power cable.