The Proxi-Ring 480 is said to make wind-energy generation more cost-effective by increasing uptime and reliability and eliminating costs of maintaining and replacing mechanical slip rings.

The manufacturer of industrial wireless power devices announced the successful trial of the Proxi-Ring 480, a contactless slip ring that provides wireless power and data to pitch-control systems in wind turbines. The Proxi-Ring 480 is said to make wind-energy generation more cost-effective by increasing uptime and reliability and eliminating costs of maintaining and replacing mechanical slip rings.

“Our contactless slip ring has been working flawlessly ever since installation in a hydraulic wind turbine in Spain eight months ago,” says VP PowerbyProxi Fady Mishriki. “It replaced a mechanical slip ring that was causing problems several times a week and this frequency was increasing as the turbine aged. The faults are hard to diagnose due to their intermittent nature and because turbines are stationary when tested. We set out to prove our wireless device delivers significant benefits over mechanical slip rings and we’ve done that.”

“The plug and play Proxi-Ring 480 was easy for our technicians to get working in the 1.3-MW turbine and it has performed perfectly,” says Jose Rodriguez, Managing Director of IM FutuRe, an O&M company. The slipring passes the required level of power and communication signals wirelessly and without friction. Proxi-Rings allow 360◦ continuous rotation and are corrosion-resistant and waterproof. Unlike mechanical slip rings they require no cleaning or maintenance because contaminants such as oil or brake dust do not affect operation.

PowerbyProxi

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