Analog Devices' (ADI) MEMS sensor technology contributes to wind turbine stability.

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), a global semiconductor leader, announced today that Envision Energy, a subsidiary of Envision Group, a global green technology company, has adopted ADI’s MEMS sensor technology in the development of its new smart wind turbine.

Initial goals of this collaboration include achieving new levels of wind turbine safety through improved real-time monitoring of vibration, tilt, and other information that can be used to drive safer wind turbine operation and design.

ADI's advanced MEMS sensors deliver new capabilities that can further advance the green energy revolution by adding intelligence to edge devices for real-time monitoring.

Wind power, one of the most mature renewable energy sources, has experienced rapid growth in China in recent years.

According to China's National Energy Administration, by the end of 2022, China's cumulative installed wind power capacity will reach approximately 370 million kilowatts (KW), ranking first in the world.

As wind power generation scales up, wind turbine components are undergoing rapid iteration. Taller tower barrels, longer blades, and heavier engine rooms present significant challenges to the safe and reliable operation of wind power systems.

Among these challenges, the tower barrel is a key wind turbine component that requires monitoring to ensure the safety and stability of the wind turbine. The tower barrel extends from the ground to the wind turbine and blades.

To increase safety and prevent tower collapses and other extreme events, Envision Energy is partnering with ADI to implement predictive maintenance technology into the core controls of its smart wind turbines.

This is accomplished by placing ADI's precision inertial measurement units (IMUs) and low-noise, low-drift accelerometers throughout the tower barrel to monitor key status information of the tower barrel in real time.

The information collected by monitoring the status of the tower barrel in this way is used to inform preventive measures for the risk of the tower barrel.

“In the long term, wind power and energy storage will be the world’s future energy sources. As we work towards that goal, safety remains our top priority as we mine for value,” said Haipeng Chen, Director of Envision Energy’s Intelligent Control Division. “We are excited to partner with ADI to add predictable, precise, and reliable MEMS sensors to our wind turbines. “This will not only enhance the safety of the tower barrel, but will also continue to advance the industry by further increasing blade diameter and tower barrel height,” he said.

“ADI has decades of experience in MEMS sensors,” said Neil Zhao, director of ADI’s MEMS technology group in Asia. “We are committed to helping our customers solve their challenges in a variety of environments with high-performance solutions and comprehensive support. This collaboration with Envision Energy will help enable smart, distributed wind turbines.”