Which way is the wind blowing? – Emerging trends to increase component service life
A key wind turbine bearing has failed and needs replacing. But the faulty component is over 100 meters in the air and encased within the structure. Repeatedly repairing or replacing it is not a sustainable option. The question is, how can the lifespan of these components be increased while reducing costs? Here are some of the emerging trends within the industry.
An automated action plan – Optimizing wind turbine performance and analysis
With wind turbines producing a remarkable amount of performance data, analyzing this for faults or issues can be a time-consuming task. But significant investment is being made into tackling this challenge with a particular focus on automated analysis.
Don’t throw caution to the wind – Taking a statistical approach to wind turbine O&M
Operation and maintenance (O&M) costs represent a large portion of expenditure for wind farm operators. Failure to implement an effective strategy may result in increased costs or machinery failure. For this reason, it is important to take a statistical approach.
Fighting against the current – Protecting bearings from electrical erosion
Electrical erosion is a common cause of bearing failure – something that can lead to complications for wind farm operators, such as downtime or reduced productivity. However, there is a cost-effective solution to this. SKF collaborated with a wind turbine generator manufacturer to resolve the issue.
Machine meteorology – Big data #2: Boosting output with artificial intelligence
Big data is enhancing operations and maintenance (O&M) in the wind power industry. By harnessing insights gleaned from this explosion of information, companies optimize turbines to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Yet as effective as statistical models are, the intermittency of wind is inescapable. This calls for a solution that allows turbines to learn from and adapt to changing conditions autonomously.
Driving force – Improving wind turbine efficiency and productivity
SKF helps the wind industry produce more energy. In this episode of SKF BeyondZero TV, racecar driver Jeff Burton visits a wind farm and a turbine manufacturer to see SKF solutions in action.
R&D: The sky’s the limit – How wind turbine components are tested
Constructing a wind turbine is a complex procedure, with many safety standards and levels of certification that must be met. Before a product can be released onto the market, it must go through numerous stages of testing and development. This article explains the processes a new piece of machinery must go through and why this is important.
