It’s no surprise that wind turbines are operating in areas where temperatures tests the machinery to its limits. Turbines are usually designed to operate in a temperature range from –10 to +40°C, but at some installations temperatures can drop to -40°C. To ensure that turbines work well in cold climates, GL Renewables Certification has issued an update to its technical note “Certification of Wind Turbines for Extreme Temperatures.”
Building on previous revisions, project experience, and cold-chamber testing, this is the fourth revision of the note since its introduction. GL first issued the note in 2005 and has been revising and updating it ever since, to reflect advances in technology and growing expertise gained through the continued turbine testing at extreme temperatures, in the field and lab.
The latest technical note provides information on load assumptions, safety and control systems, manuals, rotor blades, nacelle covers and spinners, machinery components, strength verification, building structures, and electrical installations.
A site is considered a cold climate if minimum temperatures below -20°C have been observed during long-term measurements on an average of more than nine days a year, for a minimum of one hour. If a site fulfils these conditions then cold climate requirements should be considered in the design of the turbine.
GL Renewables Certification has a long history of working with turbines under such extremes of temperature, having certified several projects in sub-artic areas, including Rushlake Creek in Saskatchewan, Canada as well as the Chanarambie, Viking and Stoneray projects in Minnesota. In addition, many components and wind turbines have been successfully assessed on former editions of this Technical Note.
GL Renewables Certification
www.gl-group.com/glrenewables
Filed Under: News, Projects
