New Energy EAPD

Wind Farm Electrical Safety Active Protection Solution

Wind turbine tower distribution cabinets, box transformers, and ring main cabinets operate outdoors year-round, facing harsh conditions such as high temperature, low temperature, salt fog, and vibration. EAPD devices are deployed inside each electrical unit to provide local monitoring, early warning, and active suppression, with all site distribution safety managed remotely through the ICOP platform.

Core challenges in wind farm electrical safety

Wind farms cover wide areas and operate in harsh environments, and their electrical safety involves several unavoidable challenges:

Scattered equipment is a practical concern. One wind turbine pairs with one box transformer; a site may have only a dozen units or more than a hundred. The distribution cabinet and ring main cabinet of each turbine are spread across several square kilometers. With a limited O&M team, it is impossible to open and inspect every cabinet every day. This means hidden risks such as line aging and loose connections often go undetected until a fault occurs.

The harsh outdoor environment is another headache. Distribution cabinets inside turbine towers may exceed 60°C in summer and drop to -30°C in winter, compounded by salt fog, humidity, and vibration. Conventional fire equipment has a shortened service life in such conditions and a higher false-alarm rate. The EAPD device was designed with all-weather adaptability in mind, with an operating temperature range covering -40°C to +85°C.

Unattended operation also introduces response delays. Most wind farms run unattended or with minimal staffing, with no one on site around the clock. Once an electrical fault causes smoldering or open flame inside a distribution cabinet, the smoke alarm signal must reach the control center and then a crew must be dispatched — a minimum of ten-plus minutes. For an electrical fire, ten-plus minutes is long enough for the fire to exceed what a small extinguisher can handle.

Traditional fire measures are also a poor fit inside distribution cabinets. The internal space is compact, and gas-suppression and aerosol units are too bulky. Dry powder leaves difficult residue and is corrosive to electrical equipment. Automatic sprinkler systems even carry a short-circuit risk in distribution environments. A compact, maintenance-free, and non-damaging suppression solution is needed.

Solution overview

This solution centers on the EAPD active electrical protection device, with the AFCP suppression patch as a supplement and the ICOP platform managing all data. The three products together cover monitoring, early warning, suppression, and management.

Overall approach: Deploy one EAPD device inside each protected distribution unit (wind turbine tower distribution cabinet, box transformer low-voltage side, ring main cabinet, SVG room distribution cabinet, etc.). The device performs local multi-sensor monitoring and active suppression, and aggregates the status data of all points to the control center through the ICOP platform. Site O&M staff can view the real-time status of every electrical unit across the site on a single map at the control center, without opening cabinets one by one for inspection.

Deployment points

Wind turbine tower distribution cabinetOne unit installed in the bottom distribution cabinet of each turbine tower
Box transformerLow-voltage side distribution cabinet; monitors line load and temperature rise
Ring main cabinetCollector-line ring main cabinet; monitors cable joint temperature
SVG room distribution cabinetDistribution cabinet of reactive-power compensation equipment; protects core equipment
Step-up station distribution cabinetEach distribution unit at the site step-up station
Charging pile / energy storage cabinetDistribution protection for supporting storage or charging facilities

Core product configuration

EAPD active electrical protection device

One EAPD device is installed inside each distribution cabinet, delivering the following functions:

  • Multi-sensor monitoring: five-dimensional sensing of temperature, humidity, smoke concentration, current, and arc signals
  • Local intelligent analysis: built-in algorithm automatically identifies abnormal temperature-rise trends and arc signatures to reduce false alarms
  • Active early warning: on detecting anomalies, issues local audible-visual alarm and uploads to the ICOP platform
  • Local suppression: upon fire confirmation, automatically releases clean agent, covering the fire source within 3 seconds

ICOP smart integrated operations platform

All EAPD devices connect to the ICOP platform via wireless network, enabling:

  • Single-map display of all site distribution equipment status
  • Real-time data viewing (temperature curves, alarm logs, device status)
  • Tiered alarm push (mobile App / SMS / platform popup)
  • Historical data review and analysis

Key technical parameters

Protection ratingIP65 (dust- and water-proof, suited to outdoor cabinet environments)
Operating temperature-40°C to +85°C
Trigger temperature140°C ±10°C (customizable by scenario: 80°C / 180°C)
Sensor typesTemperature / humidity / smoke / current / arc
AgentNovec 1230 / FK-5-1-12 (clean agent, non-conductive, residue-free)
Response timeFrom trigger to agent release ≤ 3 seconds
InstallationMagnetic / adhesive / clip (no drilling or wiring)
Communication4G / WiFi / wired (selected per site network conditions)
Service life≥ 5 years (maintenance-free)

Benefits after implementation

Improved inspection efficiency

No need to open cabinets one by one; view all point status remotely via ICOP platform, reducing labor input by about 60%

Early hazard detection

Abnormal temperature trends are detected and handled before they develop into fires, ending the "only know when smoke appears" pattern

No equipment damage

Clean Novec 1230 suppression leaves no cleanup needed after activation; electrical equipment can keep running

Unified management

Multiple wind farms can connect to one ICOP platform; view distribution safety status of all sites at the group level

Extended application scenarios

This solution also applies to PV station combiner-box/inverter distribution cabinets, energy storage station battery-compartment distribution cabinets, charging-pile site distribution units, and other new-energy scenarios. The deployment logic is consistent — one EAPD per distribution unit, unified management via the ICOP platform.

Standards compliance

This solution is designed with reference to the following standards, ensuring the technical approach and product selection meet industry requirements:

  • DB15/T 3841-2025 Technical specification for wind turbine fire protection systems (Inner Mongolia local standard)
  • GB 50116 Code for design of automatic fire alarm systems
  • GB 50370 Code for design of gas extinguishing systems

The EAPD device's operating temperature range (-40°C to +85°C) and protection rating (IP65) meet the low-temperature start-up performance requirements for wind turbine fire protection systems specified in DB15/T 3841-2025. The clean suppression technology used is non-conductive and residue-free, suited to the protection of live equipment inside distribution cabinets.

Need a customized solution for your wind farm?

Our technical team will provide a targeted configuration plan based on your site's distribution equipment types, quantities, and network conditions

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