Posters

Abstract

nabla analytics is a O&M tool aimed to help controlling operational risk within each year. It is providing predictive information helpful to support medium-term planning of the SPV – Special Purpose Vehicle, but also to ensure asset valuation for strategic transactions (VDD – Vendor Due Diligences, M&A – Merger and Acquisition). The tool is fuelled by precise independent aeroelastic models (built and validated following recommendations from IEC61400-28 standard), wind measurements, O&M track record, SCADAs, WTG platform knowledge, and finite element analyses of components (including different multiaxial fatigue analysis). All these sources of data result in predictions of the time to failure per component, and per wind turbine. Such time to failure is calculated considering fatigue accumulation based on site condition, per wind direction, seasonal, day-night etc., and corrected taking into account coefficients of reliability, based on the component's characteristics and operation. Each components failure is then addressed with a preventive calendar, displaying earlier dates for different recommendations, tailor made for each component and position within the wind farm, advising for visual inspections, NDTs – Non-Destructive Tests, preventive actions, aging management plans, or stock assurance. Such level of detail is translated into actual forecasted preventive OPEX, which operators and asset managers can add to the fixed OPEX arising their O&M contracts, and confront with the wind farm's performance, which nabla analytics also measures, checking real availability and performance (versus contractual). In addition, thanks to its reliable loads' calculations, which are updated at the pace of SCADA data availability (and at any other available sensorics installed in the WTG, such as iSpin), nabla analytics is able to detect extreme events causing extreme loads and send “structural” alarms to the operation team, preventing big operational and reputational risks. It's worth mentioning that the independent aeroelastic models used by nabla analytics are validated at the highest standard of accuracy in the industry, which enables uncertainty levels below 15% when returning results. nabla analytics is a hybrid data analytics tool, merging physical calculations with unique real data, and delivering forecasts beyond the capacity of any bigdata tool. This tool can be improved by being connected to nabla's spinner anemometer (iSpin), which would enable the system on detecting gusts or states happening within the 10-min SCADA registers, plus providing precise data on wind conditions, YMA – Yaw Misalignment, and power curve characteristic (on demand IEC61400-12-2 compliant). This O&M monitoring tool is unparalleled today in the industry and is offered as a key tool for lowering LCOE – Levelized Cost of Energy, while maintaining the value of the wind assets as high as possible, with a continuous life extension and performance improvement mindset.