Encoders are a forgotten component in wind turbines—at least until they fail. Wind turbines are a challenging application for encoders, something many OEMs and end-users discover just after installation. The constant vibration and thrust is tough on tiny encoder bearings (and for absolute encoders it’s tough on internal gearboxes). Another problem is temperature cycling combined…
Trends in encoders 2014
Wind turbines are a dickens of a place to expect electronics to work well. High vibration and temperature extremes kill even “heavy duty” optical encoders. To handle such loads, encoder manufacturers have designed units just for wind turbines. The devices are assigned to at least four applications in a wind turbine, depending on design. Generally,…