A gearbox is typically used in a wind turbine to increase rotational speed from a low-speed rotor to a higher speed electrical generator. A common ratio is about 90:1, with a rate 16.7 rpm input from the rotor to 1,500 rpm output for the generator. Some multimegawatt wind turbines have dispensed with a gearbox. In…

  Frank May / service engineer / GlobeCore GmbH The last 20 years have seen strong growth in both the number of wind farms and the amount of power generated by wind. This growth is a logical consequence of the increasing demand for electricity and the need to diversify energy sources and reduce harmful emissions. The…

This article is the first of a two-part series in which a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is used to evaluate how torsional oscillations and reversals can damage many expensive turbine components. It also compares the effects of adding a Reverse Torsional Damping device to mitigate the damage. The FMEA calculates a projected range of cost reductions based on the credibility of evidence, contribution to overall failure mode, and the estimated life extension from the damping device.

It’s always interesting to review this Website’s content to see what our readers enjoy the most. As 2014 comes to a close, Windpower Engineering & Development wanted to highlight the year’s top stories. Thanks for a great year. 7. How to make a wind turbine at home There are many ways we can help cut…

Google analytics is turning into an NSA for business. OK, it’s not that sinister, but the IT giant does keep its all-seeing digital eye on what the collective you search for. At Windpowerengineering.com, the inquisitive search most often for these top five articles. So in reverse order of demand, here what you readers found most…

The 4th Annual Wind Energy Operations and Maintenance Summit will address the global wind-turbine-gear industry and examine themes, such as how main-transmission failures in wind turbines compare with similar planetary drives in non-wind applications. The Summit takes place from April 25 to 27, 2012 at the Dallas Marriott City Center Hotel in Texas. Also on…

  Already in commercial production, FusionDrive, the market’s smartest gear and generator combination, is now proven to work well in its test field. The full load test run of FusionDrive recently started in the Moventas R&D center in Finland. The gear and generator combination, now in commercial production for DeWind, is a joint effort of…