Julia Austin Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 On May 22, 2008 NRG Systems issued Technical Support Bulletin TSB-008 regarding the NRG #40C anemometer. Specifically, TSB-008 provided details on a manufacturing defect detected in the epoxy potting process of the sensor magnet that could cause a sensor to underreport wind speeds. It outlined corrective actions put in place and provided guidance to our customers on how to detect potential anomalies in collected data. In the weeks following this initial communication, we discovered that the problem was much more complex than we initially thought. Customers with new sensors were reporting similar problems with sensor slow-down obligating us to reexamine our initial conclusion. What appeared to be a simple root cause branched out into many possible causes. This required us to develop new science for analyzing and testing the performance of our anemometer. We concluded that the epoxy process was not the primary cause of wind speed underreporting. After this determination, we dedicated all available resources, solicited the help of outside materials experts to analyze the components and structure of the #40C, and designed and executed dozens of experiments. Additionally, we formed an industry roundtable and joined forces with other industry experts and consultants to better understand the problem. Some in the industry thought the interaction of the boom and sensor was the root cause of the slow down. While this may have been a contributing factor, we did not believe it to be the primary cause and we felt it was our responsibility to continue investigating the sensor itself. Through our exhaustive investigation we have explored and ruled out numerous possible causes. We can now report that we have recently confirmed, in both laboratory and field tests, the underreporting of wind speeds by some NRG #40C anemometers is caused by the sensor entering into a vibratory mode. We have further confirmed that this vibratory mode is a state of the sensor itself and is not dependent on the boom or tower configuration. We now have enough solid information to begin the process of designing a solution. While we hope this news provides some assurance, we also know you seek answers now ? the reliability of your wind measurement data is of paramount importance. That is why we have scheduled a webinar for you to understand our progress to date and ask questions. Please see details below. We hope you will join us. Sincerely, Barton Merle-Smith, Director of Marketing and Sales Join us for a Webinar on December 2, 2008 at 11:00 EST. Space is limited. Title: NRG Systems #40C Progress Report Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST Reserve your Webinar Seat Now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/899905197 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.