Frequently Asked Questions
What type of damage are you able to pick up with your Intelligent Listening Device?
- Surface delamination
- Leading edge erosion
- Tears in leading edge protection tape
- Holes
- Split tips
- Tip damage
- Lightning damage
Are you able to detect lighting strikes?
Lightning can be confirmed with damage indication provided by the Ping Monitor dash. Verification of lighting can be conducted via visual/drone inspection or with lightning strike data from third party.
What is the footprint of the hardware?
The intelligent listening sensor is 200 mm D which connects to a 210 mm H x 90mm W power and communications module. (7.8 in D) (8.2 in H X 3.5 in W)
How is it installed?
After you receive the device, your own technicians can easily connect and power on each unit and then attach it directly to the base of each wind turbine tower using its magnetic mounts. The unit turns on automatically 5 minutes after it is connected to it’s power and communications module.
Can we replace drone inspections with this?
We aren’t proposing you entirely replace existing methods of inspection. However, Ping does significantly reduce the amount of time and money on turbines where there are no blade issues, allowing you to optimize and target where they are most needed.
How is damage indicated?
Ping Monitor indicates which turbines across a fleet have damage. From this continuously updated information, you can then decide which turbine needs attention. We use the 0 to 5 rating system as a probability of damage.
How do you baseline a new installation?
When the Ping Monitor is installed for the first time, a baseline period of two weeks commences. During this period results from turbines with blades of the same design are compared. Additionally, onboard metrics can identify particular acoustic characteristics associated with blade damage. Then, these work together to determine the level of pre-existing damage, regardless of the age of the blades at the time of first install.
Where do we see the data?
The Ping Monitor sends all data automatically to the cloud and is available 24/7 on the dashboard once you log in.
How do we know we have had a change in turbine health?
Wind turbine operators can review blade data and analyse remotely. User-defined notification criteria can be set so key stakeholders remain informed on any significant blade condition changes.
How are noise variations managed?
To discriminate between extraneous noise sources independently without user intervention, the Ping Monitor validates measurements over a period and several variables are assessed for stability.
Can it be used on offshore wind turbines?
Our system works offshore (subject to correct LTE-M cellular coverage) and an enhanced version with more communication options (including satellite) and the ability to withstand corrosive environments is being released later this year.
Is the Ping Monitor available now?
Yes, it is available. We keep stock to reduce delivery times.
How long are your contracts?
Most contracts are an annual subscription.
Do we also pay for the hardware?
The hardware is supplied as part of the subscription service. You will need to return the hardware at the end of your subscription unless it is extended.
Can we try your service for free?
Unfortunately, we can’t offer our service at zero cost due to the expense of providing hardware to collect the acoustic data from your turbines.
