NRG Systems Webinar

#40C Progress Update

December 2, 2008

Speakers:
Larry Jacobs - Senior Marketing Engineer
Owen Clay - Director of Engineering
 Overview
• Chronology and Problem Definition
• Findings
• Current Status
• Next Steps
• Questions and Answers
 Chronology of Events
• February 2007
NRG Systems received customer report of sensor dragging and
requested return of sensors

• November 2007
Received sensors from field and began in-depth analysis

• Early 2008
Identified and corrected epoxy manufacturing issue

• May 2008
Issued Technical Service Bulletin 008 (TSB008)
 Chronology of Events
• July 2008
Analysis of data from sensors indicated:
• Epoxy on shaft not root cause therefore…
• Conclusions identified in TSB008 not valid

• July – October 2008

Continued and expanded in-depth engineering investigation

• Sept 2008
Identified vibratory mode as the mechanism for sensor dragging
 Chronology of Events
• Sept 2008
Presentation given at AWEA Workshop

• Sept 2008
Established round table of industry experts
• To review and validate our process and results
• To exchange ideas on data analysis

• Continued to ship sensors

• Data still usable, magnitude of slow-down understood
(0.3 – 0.6 m/s)
• Not all sensors affected
 Problem Definition
First reported as increased scatter in data
• Difference or ratio of 10 min averages between two
sensors at same height greater than expected

Greater scatter caused by a slow down of one sensor

• Referred to by some as “sensor dragging”

Isolated to sensors manufactured 2006 and later

 Problem Definition
Characteristics of the vibratory mode (based on wind tunnel results)
• 0.3 m/s - 0.6 m/s slow-down when in mode
• Preferentially occurs at 5-10 m/s wind speeds
• Can stay in this mode for long periods of time
• Can go in and out of mode
• Mode typically stops above 12 or 14 m/s
• Mode often stops below approx 5 m/s
• Signature of degraded performance typically occurs after
two weeks in the field
Example Scatter Using Difference of Pairs
Example Scatter Using Difference of Pairs
Example Scatter Using Ratio of Pairs
Post calibration data analysis/identification
• Offset increase >0.1 m/s from initial calibration
• and Standard Error is greater than 0.12
Example of Vibratory Mode in Field Data
 Current Status
• Vibratory mode has been identified as the mechanism of sensor
dragging

• Consulted outside experts to understand the physics of the vibratory

mode

• Root cause of vibratory mode has been determined

• Modifications being made to sensor prototypes addressing root cause

• Field testing of sensors to validate modifications will be underway

soon
 Next Steps for NRG
• Continue to work with round-table experts

• Continue to focus engineering efforts on validation of sensor

modifications

• Once sensor modifications are validated, we will communicate

details on what you should do next

• Post Q&A on website tech forum:

• http://forum.nrgsystems.com/forums/

• Publish detailed white paper

 Recommendations
• Continue to analyze your data and perform quality checks as usual

• Contact your data analyst for methodology to account for additional

uncertainty caused by sensor drag

• Contact NRG Systems technical support with additional questions

Questions and Answers