Goldwind Announces World-First Laser Control System
Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind has recently received Component Certification for its Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) Assisted Control technology by global quality assurance and risk management company DNV GL.
The certification is a reported first in the world for original equipment manufacturers.
About LiDAR Technology
Starting in 2012, Goldwind began experimenting with LiDAR control systems. By 2013, the company was continuing its research and started developing a fundamental control algorithm based on first-generation sensors. Between 2014 and 2016, technology testing was conducted through a series of field experimentations with different site conditions and wind turbine platforms.
By the end of 2016, Goldwind had launched a second-generation LiDAR sensor and started a pilot certification project, where the path to DNV GL certification also started.
Described as a technique, the technology uses a laser source to sense any incoming wind fields in front of a wind turbine rotor. From those detections, its application facilitates the reduction of loads on various components such as the tower and wind blades, in addition to improving the operational stability. Overall, the technology is reported to increase the wind turbine’s annual energy production.
According to the press release by DNV GL, the management company has been analyzing and assessing the use of potential LiDAR systems for over 10 years. However, regardless of the DNV GL’s efforts to create a technical network, the company reports that industrial applications to wind turbine control systems have a limited field history and aren’t covered well by existing standards or regulations.
“Our broad experience and insight into the technology’s failure modes and mechanisms make DNV GL an experienced partner for qualifying LiDAR based systems and improving its safety, reliability and performance,” said Kim Mørk, Executive Vice President for Renewables Certification at DNV GL.
To bridge the gaps, DNV GL developed a systematic risk-based assessment which involved documenting LiDAR’s performance, safety and feasibility, and combined the competent certification with its already established Technology Qualification principles.
In addition to the assessment, Goldwind also had to complete an extensive set of validation activities on full-scale turbine prototypes.
Based on the results of DNV GL’s tests for certification, the LiDAR systems revealed a successful fatigue load reductions of up to 20% on towers and up to 7% on blades.
Component Certifications earned by Goldwind are according to DNV GL-SE-0441, while Qualification Procedure for New Technology is according to DNV-RP-A203.
