System makes sense of turbine diagnostics

SKF has developed an expanded version of its very successful wind turbine monitoring system.

SKF has developed an expanded version of its very successful wind turbine monitoring system.

SKF WindCon 2.0 has additional capabilities that reduce operating costs even further than the original system.

By tracking the performance of many of the key components in their turbines' wind park operators can consolidate maintenance activities across the whole park.

Service calls can be better planned and combined, and this reduces maintenance costs considerably.

With fewer unplanned shutdowns, less maintenance costs and more machine uptime delivering electricity, the turbine or wind park operating costs can be dramatically reduced.

The new system features WebCon, an SKF developed software enabling internet access with the following benefits: easy access to the monitored data via Internet Explorer - no special "access" software or training is required; no special software is needed to analyse turbine machinery; and no need for a user developed and maintained database - the database is managed and maintained by the SKF system.

Machine trends can be checked daily by many field personnel, instead of a single machine park supervisor.

This increases the "field knowledge" of each turbine to a degree that has a very large effect on the speed of problem identification and problem solving.

The system offers extremely easy-to-handle FFT data and trend analysis that can be acted on by field personnel.

Starting with a human-machine-interface (HMI), tick boxes allow the selection of the part of turbine you want to look at.

Then a selection of views provides data in varying degrees of complexity starting with a simple indication of the condition of the selected part of the turbine and finishing with a full spectral analysis.

So all levels of operation and management in the wind park can access and act on information that they easily understand.

SKF WindCon 2.0 has new, dedicated, wind turbine sensors that fit all turbine makes and sizes.

These sensors have been proven in field tests in different turbine types from several manufacturers.

The new sensors monitor more accurately low main shaft speeds and together with the associated software provide more reliable trending and alarming, particularly at low speeds.

With the improved trend data more reliable maintenance forecasting can be made.

SKF WindCon 2.0 can monitor an unlimited number of turbines and turbine data points.

The system can monitor any of the following: unbalanced condition of the propeller blades; misalignment; shaft deflections; mechanical looseness; bearing condition; gear damage; generator rotor/stator problems; resonance problems; and poor lubrication conditions.

SKF WindCon 2.0 is certified by Germanischer Lloyd and approved by Allianz.

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