Powering embedded electronics for wind turbine monitoring using multi-source energy harvesting techniques

S. R. Anton; S. G. Taylor; E. Y. Raby; K. M. Farinholt

doi:10.1117/12.2010637

29 March 2013 Powering embedded electronics for wind turbine monitoring using multi-source energy harvesting techniques

S. R. Anton, S. G. Taylor, E. Y. Raby, K. M. Farinholt

Proceedings Volume 8690, Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies 2013; 869007 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2010637
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2013, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

With a global interest in the development of clean, renewable energy, wind energy has seen steady growth over the past several years. Advances in wind turbine technology bring larger, more complex turbines and wind farms. An important issue in the development of these complex systems is the ability to monitor the state of each turbine in an effort to improve the efficiency and power generation. Wireless sensor nodes can be used to interrogate the current state and health of wind turbine structures; however, a drawback of most current wireless sensor technology is their reliance on batteries for power. Energy harvesting solutions present the ability to create autonomous power sources for small, low-power electronics through the scavenging of ambient energy; however, most conventional energy harvesting systems employ a single mode of energy conversion, and thus are highly susceptible to variations in the ambient energy. In this work, a multi-source energy harvesting system is developed to power embedded electronics for wind turbine applications in which energy can be scavenged simultaneously from several ambient energy sources. Field testing is performed on a full-size, residential scale wind turbine where both vibration and solar energy harvesting systems are utilized to power wireless sensing systems. Two wireless sensors are investigated, including the wireless impedance device (WID) sensor node, developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and an ultra-low power RF system-on-chip board that is the basis for an embedded wireless accelerometer node currently under development at LANL. Results indicate the ability of the multi-source harvester to successfully power both sensors.

Citation Download Citation

S. R. Anton, S. G. Taylor, E. Y. Raby, and K. M. Farinholt "Powering embedded electronics for wind turbine monitoring using multi-source energy harvesting techniques", Proc. SPIE 8690, Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies 2013, 869007 (29 March 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2010637

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available