The Need for Preventative Maintenance
Wind turbines are now a common feature of our landscape in response to the demand for clean energy, but how can we ensure these massive structures live a long, healthy life? Engineers must add precision components to their designs that will provide preventative maintenance capabilities. Adding these additional components may increase costs upfront, but the costs of repair and downtime due to malfunction can be far more damaging.

How To Avoid Malfunction & Downtime
Accelerometers can be implemented into the turbine to monitor the vibration content of the rotary bearings. They can record the vibration profile of the bearing when it is new and then monitor this profile as a function of time to detect changes in the vibration signature.  When there is an inconsistency in the vibration profile, the accelerometer will measure this and relay the readings to a vibrational spectrum analyzer that will alert engineers that something is amiss.

Which Accelerometer Type Can Monitor Turbines
Since the blades of a turbine move relatively slowly, this creates low level vibration of a few hundred hertz. Because of this level of vibration, a piezo accelerometer will not necessarily be needed. With a bandwidth from DC to 400 Hz, MEMS capacitive accelerometers are suitable solutions for measuring the vibration of these rotors. These sensors are also lower cost than other solutions, particularly in large volumes.

Turbine Tilt
Another preventative maintenance solution is tilt monitoring. Due to erratic weather patterns, climate or even shifting sediment, particularly offshore, the base of the turbine will also need monitoring to ensure its stability over the course of its lifetime. The turbine base can be equipped with precise and rugged inclinometers.