Improved wind turbine efficiency using synchronized sensors

The project will build demonstrators of 1) an inflow wind measurement sensor suitable for wing mounting and 2) a lightweight, electronic device ("SyncBoeard") providing precision transducer synchronization and A/D vonversion, data storage, and communications. The device can be an add-on to existing analog and digital transducers. The device is proposed to be developed in two phases of successive smaller size and power consumption: 1) SyncBoard - a printed circuit board using off-the-shelf components to implement the functions, and 2) SyncChip - a custom integrated circuit which further shrinks size and power consumption. This will be a technology platform, on which the above mentioned instrumentation systems can de developed. The current project application includes the SyncBoard, while the SyncChip project is envisioned started within the next 12 months depending on acquiring funding.

The goal of the project is to perform new classes of measurements which can directly be used to improve efficiency of wind turbines as well as traditional power generation facilities. the inflow sensor and "SyncBoard" developed will be tested by the partners of the project. These include wind turbine manufacturers, sensor and instrumentation manufacturers, test system integrators serving the energy sector, and research organizations.