Researchers at the Terrassa Campus of Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Barcelona Tech (UPC) have developed a new fault prediction system known as iTesTiT. The system will allow wind power generating firms to save around €15 million annually.
The patented system can be utilized to examine the functional changes in a wind turbine to predict its faults. It is estimated that wind power generating companies in Europe incur a loss of around €800 million every year due to reported malfunctions in electronic, electrical and mechanical systems of wind turbines.
Researchers at the MCIA Center of UPC
The iTesTiT system, a result of the research performed by the Motion Control and Industrial Applications research group of the UPC, predicts the likely failure of wind turbines. It studies the functioning of electrical protection instruments, electric motor, wiring, gears, multiplier, yaw system, transformer, temperature control system, protective devices, lubricator and the total power electronic systems under which these components function.
The iTesTiT utilizes data processing, pattern extraction and signal processing to examine every component and generates a final analysis to assist engineers to predict the future functional performance of the mechanical and electrical components in wind turbines.
Unlike exciting systems that analyze only currents and vibrations, the iTesTiT checks for variations and finds malfunctioning in the drive chain, multiplier, generator, yaw system and the electrical system of a wind turbine. These components constitute nearly 40% of the faults that normally take place in wind turbines.
The iTesTiT technology received a prize for the best business idea in the current edition of Catalan government sponsored ACC1Ó Valortec competition. The software also has potential uses in the aeronautics field as a dependable detection solution to assess the function of aircraft engineering systems and also in the automotive industry for manufacture of electric and hybrid vehicles.