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- Category: Product News
SKF has developed a new single bearing solution, which removes the main shaft, saving weight and cost in the nacelle of wind turbines and protecting the gearbox from the rotor loads. Intended for the new generation of large wind turbines, the new double row taper roller bearing (DRTRB) with segmented PEEK (a high grade engineering polymer material; polyetheretherkeytone) cage gives operational reliability, together with low friction. In addition, the PEEK cage and other design features enable increased maintenance intervals. The new DRTRB has two rows of tapered rollers arranged ‘back to back’, giving high load carrying capacity with high stiffness. The bearing is pre-loaded and the gearbox is loaded just by pure torque load and protected from the rotor loads, as the bearing supports the rotor and drive train. The large diameter of the bearing makes it strong enough to withstand yaw and tilt moments. The PEEK cage is segmented in order to make it more flexible and minimise contact forces and friction. Codenamed ‘Nautilus’, the new bearing can be used in both geared and gearless wind turbine designs.
- Category: Product News
The new SKF pitch and yaw bearings have special surface treatments to protect against corrosion, and false-brinelling is limited by specially selected grease. A new, automatic lubrication system that distributes small amounts of grease to all lubrication points for up to six months, has been fitted, and this reduces maintenance costs and lubricant consumption. After six months only the central reservoir needs refilling. A patented seal solution avoids grease leakage and water ingress, and withstands ring deformations under load as well as internal grease overpressure. In addition, the bearings have a two-layer coating that provides long-lasting corrosion protection even in severe weather conditions. The SKF range of pitch and yaw slewing bearings are available in different designs: single row and double row four point contact ball bearings. Pitch bearings can be supplied with or without integrated gearing. Yaw bearings can be supplied with an integrated gear ring, enabling direct drive and eliminating the need for an additional gear ring.
- Category: Product News
The new Bio-SLIM design is up to 30% smaller and lighter than a conventional unit with the same power rating or allows a 30% power increase within the same volume. The Bio-SLIM owes these and other features to the combination of Pauwels’ transformer design skills and DuPont NOMEX thermal insulation technology. Now, to upgrade the environmental safety of its SLIM range still further, Pauwels has adopted MIDEL 7131 as the dielectric fluid, and has optimised the original design to derive maximum benefit from this coolant.- Category: Product News
Given the destructive nature of hurricanes, gale force winds and tropical storms it is crucial that potential offshore wind energy projects undergo extensive tests of the site-specific conditions for safety reasons. One of the thirteen chapters of the new "Guideline for the Certification of Offshore Wind Turbines" published by Germanischer Lloyd WindEnergie GmbH (GL Wind) deals exclusively with this site assessment and the resulting loads. The chapter defines the requirements for the determination of loads resulting from the environmental conditions in conjunction with the operational behaviour of an offshore wind turbine. These conditions include peak wind speeds due to storms and rapid changes in wind speed and direction. These extreme conditions include the potential effects of wind turbulence. The offshore guideline covers general testing conditions, safety systems and the requirements for the manufacturing companies. Strength analyses, machinery components and electrical engineering are considered as well as tests requirements, periodic inspections and condition monitoring. So far, a number of projects had already been certified and/or are currently in the certification process according to the new guideline.
- Category: Product News
Ekopower has introduced the first online wind datalogger for remote field applications.It is possible to:
o read online values, and view status and historical graphs
o receive online data files from remote locations at your desk: automatically at an internet-connected PC (no telephone line required).
Communication is via a wireless GPRS connection and a small solar photovoltaic module for remote sites. The system is equipped with a Compact Flash memory card for a secure back-up memory. Ekopower also supplies internet data services for easy and fast access to the online data.
Applications for remote monitoring of wind energy projects include:
o site evaluation and feasibility studies (wind speed, direction, etc.)
o power performance evaluation.
Calibration is according to the MEASNET standard and with first class anemometers.
- Category: Product News
The CR1000 is Campbell Scientific’s newest datalogger, and builds on the company’s 30-year reputation for measurement and control instrumentation. It retains the versatility of its predecessor, the CR10X, and provides increased memory, more measurement channels and multiple telemetry options. A complete CR1000-based system for most environmental monitoring applications would include a 12V power supply, weatherproof enclosure, application-specific sensors, programming/communications software and communication peripherals. The CR1000 allows for multiple measurement and control peripherals and sensor connections. Most commercial sensors can be used with the versatile channels consisting of 16 single-ended or 8 differential analog inputs (individually configured), 2 pulse counters, 3 switched voltage excitations and 8 control/digital ports. An RS-232 port and CS I/O port provide the multiple telemetry options for the datalogger, via radio, satellite, phone (land line, cellular, voice), Ethernet and more. The design of the CR1000 is for long-term, unattended monitoring for individual or network applications. The CR1000 has an operating range of -25 to +50ºC; an extended range of -55 to +85ºC is available.- GE Energy expands its 1.5MW series
- GE Energy introduces 2.5 and 3MW units
- New range of robust rotary encoders
- Nordex N90 Offshore exceeding expectations
- Fluorourethane blade coating from Polytech Services Company
- Vexcel developing solution for offshore wind energy resources
- Second Wind introduces Modbus protocol for nomad data logger
- iXSea sponsors Ampelmann Project
- Roof turbine could slash energy bills
- Life cycle assessment of wind turbines
- HVDC Light from ABB
- The world’s largest wind turbine has been inaugurated
- Technology collaborative tests multi-axis wind turbine
