New Partnership can save Thousands in Wind Turbine Maintenance

The difference between condition based maintenance and planned maintenance over a 10 year period is typically EUR 40,000. Now design and engineering company cmc Instruments GmbH have teamed up with service provider Speedwind Offshore GmbH to deliver best-in-class practice for the condition based maintenance of wind turbines.

 In the past wind turbines have been compromised by vibration, particulate matter in the oil system and cracks in the roller bearings. The only technology to measure these effects had detection limits such that damage had already occurred by the time the alarm was sounded. Rigid inspection intervals, sometimes unnecessary, are costly to perform, especially on offshore sites.

The WearSens® system from cmc Instruments was developed with academia especially to solve this problem. It can control the proper operating conditions for wind turbines and detect changes in the system before damage occurs. Asset protection of these expensive units enables theoretical lifetimes to be achieved, maintenance schedules optimised for prevention and considerable cost savings.

WearSens® works and it works,

• Before damage has been caused
• Before there are detectable vibrations
• Before particles have formed
• Before laboratory analysis detection limits

WearSens® is a condition monitoring system for oil quality, oil aging and additive consumption, more sensitive and with lower detection limits than previously seen. The work of the oil additives does not mask the problem until it is too late either. WearSens® has a faster detection time than the action of the additives.

Change the oil or replenish additives only when necessary. Rigid maintenance intervals can be a waste of money or they can be too late. With condition based maintenance from 24/7 monitoring huge savings can be made in money and man hours whilst optimising loads and achieving better lifetimes.

WearSens® is easy to install and inexpensive to retro-fit. The decentralised, web based monitoring system makes results available anywhere in the world. It can be employed as a stand-alone unit or as part of a more comprehensive condition monitoring system.

cmc Instruments are a design, instrumentation and engineering company based near Frankfurt with extensive knowledge in tribology, oil aging mechanisms and instrument design.

Speedwind Offshore are a service manager of offshore vessels and maintenance. They can provide a one stop shop for contacts to suppliers, classification bodies and professional links.