Wind Turbine Blade Inspection Using ISAR Leaky Feeder Radar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind turbine blade inspection methods are limited in their ability to efficiently and reliably inspect blades during operation, particularly in terms of covering a wide range of yaw angles and detecting faults and dynamics effectively.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a blade inspection system using inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) technology, which employs a transmitting and receiving leaky feeder to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, allowing for 360° monitoring of wind turbine blades, enabling efficient detection of faults and dynamics through high-resolution imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple radar sensors are vertically mounted at the turbine tower to perform ISAR inspection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and the inspection is limited to specific yaw angles
Solution Approach 1:
The leaky feeder is divided into multiple segments or sections along its length, with different segments having different radiation characteristics. This segmentation allows the system to achieve 360-degree coverage by activating specific segments for different yaw angles, reducing the need for multiple complete radar sensor arrays while maintaining inspection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a vertical arrangement of radar sensors (one dimension) to a circumferential arrangement of leaky feeder segments around the tower (adding angular dimension). This dimensional change enables coverage of all yaw angles without increasing the number of complete sensor systems, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Device complexity
If conventional radar inspection methods are used, then the system structure is simple, but the inspection is limited to one blade position and specific yaw angles
Solution Approach 1:
The leaky feeder system is designed to serve multiple functions: it can inspect blades at any yaw angle, monitor multiple blades sequentially, and provide both radar imaging and structural support. This multi-functionality increases adaptability without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same infrastructure serves multiple inspection purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The leaky feeder acts as an intermediary structure that combines the functions of a structural tower element and a radar antenna system. By integrating the radiation function into the existing tower infrastructure, the system achieves versatile yaw angle coverage without requiring separate complex radar sensor arrangements for each angle.
3Reliability
If internal sensors are used in the blade for inspection, then reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blade structure itself serves as part of the inspection system through the leaky feeder integration. The blade's rotation and position provide the moving target for ISAR imaging, eliminating the need for separate inspection mechanisms attached to or embedded in the blade. This self-service approach maintains reliability while simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical inspection systems (internal sensors, physical inspection equipment) with an electromagnetic field-based ISAR system. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical sensor installation and calibration within the blade structure, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining or improving monitoring reliability through non-contact measurement.
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
This solution provides a cost-efficient, versatile, and flexible system for monitoring wind turbine blades, capable of detecting faults and dynamics across a wide range of yaw angles, offering high-quality radar images and improved reliability compared to conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitting leaky feeder, coupled to a transmitter (unit), and configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal (of the transmitter (unit))
Implementation Method 2
a receiving leaky feeder, coupled to at least one receiver (unit)(in particular two receiver units), and configured to receive a reflection (in particular reflected from at least one blade) of the electromagnetic signal
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
There is described a wind turbine (1) comprising: i) a tower (2); ii) a nacelle (3), coupled to the tower (1); iii) a wind rotor (5), which is arranged at the nacelle (3), and which comprises at least one blade (4); and iv) a blade inspection device (100), comprising: a) a transmitting leaky feeder (110), coupled to a transmitter (111), and configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal; b) a receiving leaky feeder (120), coupled to at least one receiver (121, 122), and configured to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic signal; and c) a processing device (140), configured to obtain an information with respect to the blade (4) based on the received electromagnetic signal. Hereby, the blade inspection device (100) is configured as an inverse synthetic aperture radar, ISAR.