Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

B&R control modules add safety functions when retrofitting wind turbines

By Paul Dvorak | December 11, 2015

The recent B&R safety system provides a clear technological advantage with the highest level of safety. It also allows implementing intelligent safety concepts that would not otherwise be possible.

The recent B&R safety system provides a clear technological advantage with the highest level of safety. It also allows implementing intelligent safety concepts that would not otherwise be possible.

The B&R X20 Control System is well suited for use in wind turbine retrofit projects due to its versatility and scalability. A module for synchronizing generators with power mains is available as well as a comprehensive portfolio for the power measurement.

The product range is rounded off by the cost-effective and customizable C-Series and T-Series visualization devices. They are available with a integrated controller or purely as a display device.

Control modules of B&R’s  X20 System have been operating reliably for many years on several thousand onshore and offshore installations. These devices can handle difficult environmental conditions, such as large differences in temperature, continuous vibrations and salty air. To meet demands for increased availability, the various options for redundancy within the system have proven to be very effective.

The product portfolio and various remote access options for integrated Safety technology allows for the efficient implementation of safety circuits, for example in accordance with GL 2010 and GL 2012 guidelines.

For azimuth (yaw) adjustment, the B&R motion control product range offers torque control for reducing wear on mechanical components as well as concepts for implementing redundancy to ensure operation – even if individual motors fail.

An efficient development tool is used to configure the system. This tool makes it possible to work in large, distributed teams with assignments for different roles and also provides protection of intellectual property. What’s more, the use of open standards make it easy to connect other systems as needed.

Interfaces are available for additional tools, such as electrical configuration and simulation tools or the automatic generation of code from MATLAB/Simulink or MapleSim.

B&R’s proven X20 system is characterized by the fact that it can be adapted to any application due to its thinness, modularity, and flexibility.

Groundbreaking safety technology
The recent B&R safety system provides a clear technological advantage with the highest level of safety. It also allows implementing intelligent safety concepts that would not otherwise be possible. The safety system is completely integrated into the standard (non-safety) control system and fully transparent.

Approved for maritime use

Nearly all standard system components are certified for maritime applications. This permits their use on ships or offshore and is a seal of quality for the products due to the strict testing that must be carried out. The X20 system offers, with only a few exceptions, a continuous operating temperature range from -25 to +60°C.

Heavy duty construction

In addition to products with IP20 protection, there is also a coated version of the system available that can withstand up to 100% humidity and corrosive gases as well as the X67 system for applications that require IP67 protection.

Redundancy: Increased availability through redundancy is a fundamental building block of energy technology. With its flexible product portfolio, B&R offers an efficient solution that can meet all demands.

Simple programming

Safety applications are created with pre-certified function blocks using a safe, integrated development tool. FBD and Structured Text programming languages are available for this purpose. In addition, there will also be the opportunity to create function blocks independently, for example in ANSI-C.

Remote maintenance and acknowledgment

An open interface for remote acknowledgment of errors and service scenarios is also available in addition to a remote update function for the safety application.

Comprehensive product portfolio

Various functions and different variants exist that can be used for all types of applications: IP20, IP20 coated or IP67 protection available:

  • Digital inputs
  • Digital outputs (0.5 A, 2 A and 10 A)
  • Relay outputs
  • Switching potential groups
  • Counter module detecting pulses
  • Analog inputs
  • Temperature inputs (PT100/1000 and temperature sensors)

Filed Under: News
Tagged With: b&r, retrofit, retrofitting, Wind Safety
 

About The Author

Paul Dvorak

Related Articles Read More >

Equinor launches ECO Liberty service operations vessel for Empire Wind offshore project
Triton Anchor receives U.S. patents for offshore anchor
US government allows Empire Wind offshore project to resume construction
Richardson Electronics to deliver pitch energy modules to TransAlta wind fleets

Podcasts

Wind Spotlight: Looking back at a year of Thrive with ZF Wind Power
See More >

Windpower Engineering & Development Digital Edition Archive

Digital Edition

Explore the full archive of digital issues of Windpower Engineering & Development, presented in a high-quality, user-friendly format. Access current and past editions, clip, share, and download valuable content from the industry’s leading wind power engineering resource.

Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Wind Articles
  • Solar Power World
  • Subscribe to Windpower Engineering
  • About Us/Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising

Search Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe