Editor’s note: The first offshore wind farm in the U.S. is now fully online and powering an island community off the coast of Rhode Island with wind energy, thanks in large part to GE’s Haliade 150-6MW offshore turbines. In the latest GE Reports, writer Tomas Kellner shares more… The small island sits off the coast of Rhode…
Where are hydraulics used in a wind turbine?
The muscle that pitches wind-turbine blades can come from either a hydraulic or electric device on most turbines rated at and below 2.5 MW. But for turbines over 3 MW, the job of pitching blades more often falls to hydraulics. And hydraulics can handle more. “Hydraulics in wind turbines usually refers to the assemblies for…
Hydraulic drivetrain turbine sets sights on offshore wind
Hydraulic drivetrains in wind turbines present great possibilities. For one, a hydraulic pump and motor would allow getting rid of the troublesome gearbox, thereby improving reliability. With such an arrangement, the turbine rotor would turn a variable-volume pump which would drive a hydraulic motor to spin the generator. Accumulators could briefly store excess pump energy…