1 | Program Name or Ancillary Text eere.energy.gov

Water Power Peer Review

Remote Monitoring of the Structural Health of Hydrokinetic Composite Turbine Blades

Joshua L. Rovey, Ph.D.

Missouri University of Science & Technologyroveyj@mst.edu 573-341-4613Sept. 27, 2011

Remote Monitoring of the Structural Health of Hydrokinetic Composite Turbine Blades

Joshua L. Rovey, PIK. Chandrashekhara, Co-PI

Mechanical & Aerospace EngineeringMissouri University of Science & Technology

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Purpose, Objectives, & Integration

Purpose: Reduce operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of hydrokinetic energy systems by remotely monitoring the health of turbine blades

Specific Objective: Proof-of-concept demonstration of a composite turbine blade that can acquire and transmit data about its structural health

Larger DoE Program Mission: Focused on accelerating development and deployment of MHK systems for clean, affordable energy

Project Relevance to Mission: Typical O&M costs are 70-95% of total investment cost, reducing O&M costs with remote monitoring may make these systems viable on a large scale with widespread use

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Component Concept

• Fiber optic strain gage embedded in composite turbine blade of hydrokinetic energy system

• Internal blade electronics module acquires strain data

• Data broadcast acoustically underwater to stationary relay module

• Data broadcast wirelessly through air to remote monitoring personnel

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Technical Approach

Proof of Concept Demonstration of Concept

• Parallel development of 1) embedded sensor technology and 2) underwater communication capability

• Integration of parallel efforts to demonstration proof of concept

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• Fabricated composite material with embedded “dummy” fibers

• Completed initial strain measurements on composite material – electrical strain gage

• Demonstrated PC-in-the-loop underwater acoustic communication

Progress to Date

Coated fiber

Uncoated fiber

Strain response for free deflection

Composite material with embedded fibers

Signals sent and received thru water

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Important Issues

• Is there Industry Interest in Our Technology? YES!• PI attended GMREC in May 2011, met industry leaders in hydrokinetic energy

• Follow-up discussions with Free Flow Power and THOR Energy revealed YES there is interest, that interest is two-fold:

1. Monitoring of commercially deployed final systems, reducing O&M costs

2. Monitoring of in-water testing of prototype systems to detect real-time transient effects/impacts on blades

• Key Technological Issue• Signal processing of embedded fiber optic strain gage data

• Strain frequency spectrum must be analyzed before being communicated and broadcast

• Our data shows what range of frequencies important to analyze, but how to analyze these data in-situ?

• Key Technological Solution• Incorporate new data analysis algorithms and electronics

• We are collaborating with a colleague in electrical eng. who has experience developing signal analyzers for fiber optic strain gages

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Plan, Schedule, & Budget

Schedule• Initiation date: 10/1/2010• Planned completion date: 3/30/2012

– Delayed, first half of funding did not arrive until Jan. 2011, remaining half of funding arrived 9/23/2011, per DoE warnings funds should not be spent before awarded

• Milestones– Demonstrate PC-in-the-loop communication – completed May 2011– Demonstrate embedding “dummy” sensor in composite – completed July 2011– Demonstrate microcontroller-in-the-loop communication – to be completed Oct.

2011– Demonstrate/validate embedded sensor measurements – to be completed Oct.

2011– Integrate embedded sensor with communication – to be completed Dec. 2011– Demonstrate proof-of-concept system – to be completed Feb. 2011

Budget: • Budget has not been modified• Total Costed $37,679, see table on next

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• Budget History:

FY11 Budget FY11 Actuals FY12 Actuals Cumulative

• Salary & Wages$35,700.00 $4,839.00 $13,964.20 $18,803.20• Staff Benefits $ 3,399.00 $ 0.00 $ 3,083.33 $ 3,083.33

• Supplies $8,908.00 $2,097.42 $ 886.64 $ 2,984.06• Student Aid $2,269.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00

• F&A $24,724.00 $3,572.75 $ 9,235.64 $ 12,808.39

• Total Cost: $75,000.00 $10,510.07 $27,168.91 $37,678.98

• COST SHARE:• Salary & Wages$17,800.00 $13,350.00 $ 0.00 $13,350.00• Staff Benefits $ 5,171.00 $ 3,187.76 $ 0.00 $ 3,187.76

• Supplies $ 3,451.00 $ 487.50 $ 2,985.90 $ 3,473.40

• F&A $13,607.00 $ 8,768.01 $ 1,537.74 $ 10,305.75

• Total Cost $40,029.00 $25,793.27 $ 4,523.64 $ 30,316.91

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Additional Slides

The following slides are for information purposes only

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Guidelines for number of slides(Not a template slide – for information purposes only)

• Because of time constraints, lower TRL level projects (shorter term and smaller award amounts) will be introduced and briefly presented by DOE staff, though project PIs will be responsible for providing project background material and slides. Presentations for these projects will be allotted only 5 minutes per project, therefore please provide no more than 5-6 slides.

• Slides may include pictures, graphics, or information that is additional to what is requested in the template (above), however, slides must include all information that is indicated in the template.

• Project PIs will also be available for Q&A with the Peer Reviewers (via teleconference) during the timeslot allotted for the lower TRL level projects.

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Preparation Instructions (Not a template slide – for information purposes only)

• Do not include any proprietary, copyrighted, or confidential information. Do not mark any slide with “Official Use Only” or any similar restriction used by your organization.

• Please name your electronic MS PowerPoint presentation file as follows (use the first 4 letters of your title):

[Title_Organization_LastName.ppt].

• Do not incorporate animations or special effects since all presentations will be saved as PDF files for presentation and for posting on the web. Animations critical to describing the project may be presented as separate files, however they must be approved by the Program and presented within your allotted time.

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Final Instructions (Not a template slide – for information purposes only)

• Your presentation, in MS PowerPoint format, is due to Ed Eugeni at Edward_Eugeni@sra.com by September 27th. If your presentation is too large to email, contact Ed Eugeni at 240-223-5552 for alternative delivery options.

• Reviewers will be receiving your presentation prior to the meeting. In order to supply adequate time for the reviewers to review your material prior to the meeting, you MUST submit your presentation by close of business on September 27th. Your project is subject to a score reduction penalty if you fail to meet this deadline.

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Questions? (Not a template slide – for information purposes only)

• Contact: – Hoyt Battey at Hoyt.Battey@ee.doe.gov,

202-586-0143– or Ed Eugeni at Edward_Eugeni@sra.com,

240-223-5552