Major failures in the wind turbine components and the importance of periodic inspections
Wind Services|B. S. Nivedh, Associate Engineer|November 24, 2014
This paper examines the types of major failures found in utility-scale wind turbines and makes recommendations for periodic inspections. The first section of the paper is provided below. The full paper can be accessed from the links on this page.
This paper examines the types of major failures found in utility-scale wind turbines and makes recommendations for periodic inspections. The first section of the paper is provided below. The full paper can be accessed from the links on this page.
Reliability of wind turbines is a pre-requisite to ensure the healthy growth of wind energy. Even if new designs and prototypes performed by manufacturers and validated by certification bodies offer safer and more reliable wind turbines, their development and related improvement are based on the experience with turbines smaller than those currently being erected. Therefore the technology is still coming up against its limitations. To this end it has been recognized that there is a need for the continuous monitoring of major wind turbine components such as gear box, generator and Rotor blades. These components are seen to require substantial maintenance and repair efforts or even retrofits. Hence, periodic inspection of these components by any independents third party to ensure the safe and efficient operation is also necessary.
