Safety sensor technology Safe in the wind

Related Vendors

TWK-Elektronik GmbH

FAULHABER Drive Systems

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

At WindEnergy in Hamburg, TWK is showcasing its solutions in the field of Functional Safety up to SIL3 / PLe. These sensors can significantly increase the efficiency of wind yields as they provide precise data and combine multiple functions in one device.

At this year's WindEnergy trade fair in Hamburg from September 24 to 27, 2024, TWK will once again present compact sensors for the wind industry featuring functions that until now were often only achievable by using multiple devices or in much bulkier or larger formats.

The compact and certified devices from the family of cam switches provide safe SIL2 or PLd switching contacts and interfaces, such as CANopen Safety, IO-Link, SSI, and analog. The Profisafe version is on its way. UL and ATEX certifications can be offered. Used in conjunction with the backlash-free measuring gear wheel developed by TWK, these devices can precisely detect the position and adjustment speed of rotor blades or the nacelle, and activate safety contacts if limits are exceeded. They interrupt the safety chain and prevent damage, such as cable breakage. They can also be used for measuring the rotor's rotational speed.

Especially precise rotor hub sensor

For the latter purpose, TWK offers the newly designed rotor hub sensor. This sensor is equipped with an accelerometer and gyroscope and, placed within the rotating hub without a fixed shaft connection, precisely and functionally safely transmits position and rotational speed via Profisafe. It is SIL2 and PLd certified. The newly utilized current generation of low-noise gyroscopes makes the device particularly accurate. Specially designed digital filters can adjust the device to individual circumstances, ensuring that disturbances (vibrations and oscillations) do not affect the rotational speed signal.

The PLd-certified vibration sensors for detecting vibrations in the tower, nacelle, and gearbox can also be customized to customer specifications. At the factory, precise filter parameters can be programmed and simulated to tailor the desired frequency windows exactly for the specifics of the wind turbine. Through Profisafe, the processed vibration data is transmitted to the control system. In the CANopen Safety version, many properties are parameterizable by the customer. Two safety switch outputs deactivate when limits are exceeded, which can be defined based on instant, RMS, or peak values with selectable time constants. Additionally, extra analog outputs are available.

Vibration sensor with battery operation

A unique version of the vibration sensor includes a LoRaWan interface. Due to its low energy consumption, it can be operated using a battery and transmits the processed data wirelessly to a base station at short intervals. This sensor is particularly suitable for wind turbines during the construction phase when there is no electricity grid available yet monitoring is required to determine if the structures are subjected to strong vibrations or oscillations, such as those caused by high wind events. This capability ensures proactive maintenance and safety measures can be enacted promptly, even in remote and developing infrastructure areas.

In addition to these specialized products for wind power, TWK offers safety encoders with all common industry interfaces, including pulse output. These are SIL2/PLd or SIL3/PLe certified and are also available with UL and ATEX certifications. These encoders can measure very precise positions and speeds for azimuth and pitch in conjunction with the previously mentioned measuring gear wheel. Visit us at WindEnergy 2024: Hall B6, Stand 494.