Wind Farm Industrial Process

WIND FARM INDUSTRIAL
PROCESS
Presented by:
MICHAEL C. ASIADO
INTRODUCTION
 A wind farm or wind park, also called a wind power station or wind power plant, is a
group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity.
 Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turbines
covering an extensive area.
 Wind farms can be either onshore or offshore.
 The wind turbines operate on a simple principle -- the energy in the wind turns two or
three propeller-like blades around a rotor, and then the rotor is connected to the main
shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity.
BACKGROUND OF THE PROCESS
PROCESS FLOW CHART
Wind Turbine System (Turbine Model)
Transition System (Drive Train Model)
Electrical System (Generator Model)
Transformer and Switchyard
Power Substations
Clean Energy Supply

1.Wind Turbine System (Turbine Model)
 Wind (moving air that contains kinetic energy) blows toward the turbine's rotor blades. The rotors
spin around, capturing some of the kinetic energy from the wind, and turning the central drive
shaft that supports them.
 Rotor blades are the most important parts of a wind turbine in terms of performance and cost of
the wind power system. The shape of the rotor blades has a direct impact on performance as this
decides the conversion of kinetic energy associated with the wind to mechanical energy (torque).
Types of Wind Turbine
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

Horizontal axis wind turbines are the
most commonly used turbines due to their
strength and efficiency. With the blades of
the turbine being perpendicular to the
wind, the rotation of the blades can
generate more power compared to the
vertical axis wind turbine.
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Vertical axis wind turbines are less affected
by frequent wind direction changes as
compared to the horizontal axis wind turbines
due to the blades being rotated on the rotor
shaft perpendicular to the ground. With the
blades and shaft installed in this way, the
turbine does not need to rotate to track wind
direction.
2. Transition System (Drive Train Model)
 Inside the nacelle (the main body of the turbine sitting on top of the tower and behind the
blades), the gearbox converts the low-speed rotation of the drive shaft (perhaps, 16 revolutions
per minute, rpm) into high-speed (perhaps, 1600 rpm) rotation fast enough to drive the
generator efficiently.
3. Electrical System (Generator Model)
 The generator, immediately behind the

gearbox, takes kinetic energy from the spinning
drive shaft and turns it into electrical energy.
Running at maximum capacity, a typical 2MW
turbine generator will produce 2 million watts of
power at about 700 volts.
 The generator is the component that converts the
mechanical energy of the rotor, harnessed from
wind to electrical energy. A generator has the
same structure as an electric motor.
4. Transformers and Switchyard
 The electric current produced by the generator flows
through a cable running down through the inside of the
turbine tower. A step-up transformer converts the
electricity to about 50 times higher voltage so it can be
transmitted efficiently to the power grid (or to nearby
buildings or communities).
 If the electricity is flowing to the grid, it's converted to an
even higher voltage (130,000 volts or more) by a
substation nearby, which services many turbines.
 The conventional transformer that is used in wind
turbines are grid side, 50Hz.
5. Power Substations
 Power substations at the demand centers convert
the high voltage power from the transmission grid to
a lower voltage power, typically in the region of
10,000 volts. From here it moves into a smaller
distribution grid to which consumers are connected to
this grid via another transformer. Here the distribution
voltage is converted to the desired consumer voltage.
6. Clean and Green Energy Supply

 Homes enjoy clean, green energy: the turbine has
produced no greenhouse gas emissions or pollution as
it operates.
MAINTENANCE
1. Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance

 Condition monitoring is not a new thing, but complex data
analysis and interpretation are at the forefront.
 Utilizing monitoring systems combined with computer-
based maintenance management systems enable predictive
and proactive maintenance planning instead of waiting for
failures to occur or planned maintenance that may not be
needed.
 Monitoring systems position sensors at key points in a wind
turbine, and data is sent to the maintenance team for
collection and analysis.
 Scheduled preventative maintenance can be adjusted based
on data collected to optimize the maintenance costs and
costs associated with unscheduled fault repairs.
2. Preventive Maintenance
 Inspect electrical cabinet, gearbox,
generators, yaw system, and brake
 Assess blades and blade pitching
 Survey tower foundation
 Measure oil and lubrication levels, sample,
and if necessary, replacement
 Drive train alignment
 Examine and tighten bolts
 Check ventilation, air filters, and shock
absorbers
 Inspect bearing and connections
 Evaluate nacelle
 Repair cracks and corrosion
Lubricating Wind Turbine
WASTE DISPOSAL
 Wind turbines can operate for 20 to 30 years.
While most of the components of a turbine (85%)
can be recycled or sold, the blades are finding
themselves in landfills across the world.
 While it’s possible to cut the blades into a few

pieces onsite during a decommissioning or
repowering process, the pieces are still difficult
and costly to transport for recycling or disposal.
Hundreds of Fiberglass Wind Turbine Pile-up in Landfill
Emerging Innovations in Fiberglass Recycling
 A partnership involving US, Ireland, and Northern

Ireland Universities called Re-wind developed some
interesting civil engineering project ideas using
decommissioned blades in civil engineering projects
as part of powerline structures or towers, or roofs
for emergency or affordable housing.
 In Germany, wind turbine blades are saw to smaller
pieces and used as aggregates for cement
construction.
 Another creative recycling option produces pellets
or boards that can be used in carpentry applications.
Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades Used for Cement Co-processing
SAFETY
By exercising these five key safety precautions, wind farm owners can make a conscious effort to protect
the safety of wind turbine workers:
 First Aid Personnel Should Always Be On-Site
 Ongoing Risk Management and Assessments
 Provision of Personal Protective Equipment
 Tool and Equipment Testing
 Active Weather Monitoring
QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL
 Gear Boxes are a major part of all wind turbines. The quality requirements are high: as the
wind blows in gusts, a backlash-free operation is indispensable to ensure a long and
beneficial lifespan of the system.
 Noise reduction in the gear box is important to ensure the public acceptance of wind turbines
and the industry has to follow these requirements.
 Gears (ring-gear, sun gear, and planet), bearings, and housings have to be produced with
tolerances down to 1/100 mm – on components with 4 m or more in diameter.
 Control for blades involves carrying out QA inspections on newly fabricated blades, which
once inspected and signed off, are transferred to site.
THANK YOU!

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WIND FARM INDUSTRIAL

 Wind farms can be either onshore or offshore.

Wind Turbine System (Turbine Model)

Transition System (Drive Train Model)

Electrical System (Generator Model)

Transformer and Switchyard

Clean Energy Supply

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

 The generator, immediately behind the

6. Clean and Green Energy Supply

1. Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance

 While it’s possible to cut the blades into a few

 A partnership involving US, Ireland, and Northern

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