Wind turbines are key strategic assets, and so, any power outages can cause a significant reduction in profitability and return on investment, and unplanned additional high costs for reactive maintenance.

Today wind farm reliability can be increased with Prysmian’s innovative fixed monitoring systems for Partial Discharge (PD) and temperature measurement.

Pry-Cam™ Grids are integrated, autonomous PD monitoring systems for electric components, based on exclusive Prysmian Pry-Cam-sensing technology.

They allow the monitoring of conditions of medium-voltage components of a wind turbine by continuously tracking PD activity and local temperatures.

PD measurements are effectively used to predict and prevent faults on medium- and high-voltage electrical systems and components, such as transformers, generators, cables, joints, etc.

Thanks to Prysmian’s exclusive sensing technology, the system is easy to install –even during wind turbine operation – without service interruption.

The system performs periodic measurements that are locally analysed, stored and sent to a remote server. Thanks to an exclusive algorithm, background and inverter noise is automatically identified and rejected in order to maintain the highest levels of PD-diagnosis accuracy.

All the information can be shared and/or integrated with any kind of existing monitoring system (SCAM for example) or asset management software.

In addition, measurements can be remotely viewed and controlled from any location via an Internet connection thanks to the Prysmian Web Infrastructure.

Product features

• High-resolution acquisition of entire PD pulse waveforms, providing enhanced diagnostic capabilities
• Robust noise-filtering and advanced-alarming algorithms available
• Innovative sensors able to remotely detect small PD pulses
• PD synchronisation does not require additional sensors (i.e. no need of CTs, Rogowski coils or capacitive couplers)
• Local storage and automatic processing of acquired data intuitive control software for live acquisition and data post-processing
• Web-based interface for monitoring control,

Main benefits for customers

• Ideal for preventing failures and the associated costs of critical component replacement 
• Suitable for PD and temperature monitoring
• Easy and quick installation – even during wind turbine operation
• Maximum safety for operators thanks to galvanic isolation of equipment undergoing testing
• Online measurements without wind turbine outage
• Advanced alarming algorithms based on the complete PD pattern
• Maximum flexibility to monitor several components with one device (e.g. cables, transformers, generators, etc.)

Prysmian PD Wings Sensors

The most convenient and easy solution for fixed PD and temperature monitoring.

PD Wings Sensors are the most recent evolution of Prysmian’s electromagnetic PD sensor technology. They are flat and soft PD sensors, designed to be attached to the electric component that is to be monitored.

Main benefits for customers

• Suitable for PD and temperature monitoring
• Easy and quick to ‘stick’ onto the component to be monitored
• Simple and swift to install – even during wind turbine operations
• Maximum safety for operators thanks to galvanic isolation of equipment undergoing testing
• High sensitivity to small PDs (down to 1pC)
• High accuracy thanks to complete PD pattern acquisition.