This is how a burnt power converter (IGBT) looks like. With the new Converter Monitoring Unit (CMU) it will be possible to detect destructive failure in time and thereby avoid costly downtime.
19 January 2016
A cooperation agreement to finalise and test a new technology for power converter health monitoring has been signed between a leading utility and KK Wind Solutions.
In the previous years, KK Wind Solutions has developed and patented a new technology called Converter Monitoring Unit (CMU). CMU represents a real game-changer in converter monitoring and control. The technology has successfully been taken through Proof of Concept with lab validation. The next phase is the final development and full-scale field test in a wind turbine application.
For this final phase of test and validation, KK Wind Solutions has now signed a formal technology cooperation agreement with a leading utility and Aalborg University.
According to the agreement, the utility along with Aalborg University and KK Wind Solutions will over the next three years cooperate on bringing the KK Converter Monitoring Unit technology successfully to the market.
The CMU is a measurement device that can monitor the state of health of the IGBTs (Power Modules) in a Wind Turbine Converter.
With the CMU it is possible to detect the most significant failures in the converter, and prevent destructive failures.
“We are very excited about this partnership and our expectations for the CMU’s future impact on the industry are extremely high. We believe there is a big potential in the CMU technology – and that it could significantly reduce some of the expensive failures known on wind turbines today, thus contribute to lowering Cost-of-Energy on wind power for the future”, says René Balle, CTO, KK Wind Solutions A/S.
Potential game changer in wind power converters underway
/Default.aspx?ID=1048&newsid=75&Action=1¤tPage=11&M=NewsV2&PID=5815