2013 ~ Wind Energy

Monday, October 28, 2013

Burned Wind Turbine Magdeburg

Burned wind turbine near Magdeburg (Germany)

Last Sunday (27.10.2013), close to Magdeburg (Germany) one wind turbine has burned. It is supposed that the reason was wind gust. It is said that the generator was overheated.

Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

8:44 PM 3 Comments

Power targets the rapidly maturing offshore wind sector by eliminating current deep-water limitations with an innovative and economic solution.
WindFloat is a floating support structure for offshore wind turbines with a simple, economic and patented design. The innovative features of the WindFloat dampen wave and turbine induced motion, enabling wind turbines to be sited in previously inaccessible locations where water depth exceeds 50 m and wind resources are superior. Further, economic efficiency is maximized by reducing the need for offshore heavy-lift operations during final assembly deployment and commissioning. Multiple projects are in development for the installation of commercial Windfloat units in both European and US offshore wind farms.

Advantages: There are three advantages to the WindFloat foundation: first, its static and dynamic stability provides sufficiently low pitch performance enabling use of commercial offshore wind turbines; second, its design and size allow for onshore assembly; third, its shallow draft allows for depth independent siting and wet tow (fully assembled and commissioned) to sites not visible from shore. Primary markets are transitional (30-60 m) and deep ( greater than 60 m) water offshore wind sites in the US and Europe, previously inaccessible, and estimated to have greater than 2 Terawatts (TW) of resource potential. Secondary markets include sites in Asia and other Oceanic countries.

Floating offshore wind turbine

Stability: The WindFloat is fitted with patented water entrapment (heave) plates at the base of each column. The plates improve the motion performance of the system significantly due to damping and entrained water effects. This stability performance allows for the use of existing commercial wind turbine technology. In addition, WindFloat's closed-loop hull trim system mitigates mean wind-induced thrust forces. This secondary system ensures optimal energy conversion efficiency following changes in wind velocity and direction.

Windfloat

Design: The design of the WindFloat enables the structure to be fully assembled onshore and towed to its final location. All fabrication and qualification is completed at quayside in a controlled environment. Deployment cost savings are significant when compared with monopile/jacket support structures which require offshore heavy-lift operations.
Mooring SystemThe mooring system employs conventional components such as chain and polyester lines to minimize cost and complexity. Through the use of pre-laid drag embedded anchors, site preparation and impact is minimized.

Vestas offshore wind turbine

Mitsubishi 7 MW Wind Turbine Blade

7:00 PM No Comments

This is really a competition!! The companies are trying to do their bests. The next amazing news are from Mitsubishi. They have pronounced the 81.6 meters blade was developed at Euros' production facility on the island of Rügen, Germany. It has a mass of 32.5 tons!! It will be tested in Glasgow, UK and Fukushima, Japan.

Mitsubishi offsore wind turbine

Euros announced that it will be set up series production in Rostock.

Mitsubishi Sea Angel Nacelle

They are calling this giant as SeaAngel. It uses a hydraulic drive system designed by Artemis Intelligent Power, a digital displacement hydraulics technology specialist. The full hydraulic continuously variable drive system and two conventional fixed-speed brush-less synchronous generators, eliminating the need for a power electronic converter.

Mitsubishi 7 MW blade

To read article about Siemens 6 MW wind turbine blade: http://easywindenergy.blogspot.de/2013/05/siemens-75-m-wind-turbine-blade-worlds.html

Wind Cube-Wind Turbine for Wall

10:22 PM 4 Comments

What a creative wind turbine design !! ''Wind cube'' is a modularized wind power system designed for the lifestyle in cities. The concept is to use 3D wind fields to make up the insufficiency of 2D ones. At that point, this new wind cube design differs from the other ones.

Wind cube

The part which is called as nacelle is rotating also to wind direction. The modern turbines has only one certain position for wind(tilt and cones angle), that's why the new design can capture much more power in a sufficient way.

Wind turbine for wall

Through the modularized design, each unit of the '' Wind Cube'' can automatically create a circuit with the power generated by itself. The power can be directly provided to families for the purpose of saving energy and reducing carbon.

Wind Cube

Considerate design for users, ''Wind Cube'' is an All-in-One design which make greenization easy. With only 3 small steps, one can start green energy. Modularized design has honeycomb Structure. The telescopic blades can be activated when there is gentle breeze. In case bad wind conditions, '' Wind Cube '' can retract the blades to avoid possible damage.

Wind cube protection

Wind Cube has 100 Watt generator and each generator has ability to produce 21.6 kWh per month. 15 Wind Cubes can provide the electricity needed by a household(4 person) per month. What's more with more Wind Cubes one can save more energy and sell it to grid companies.

Bladeless Wind Turbine

9:42 PM No Comments

The new wind turbine concept provides cheaper and more efficient wind energy. This is called bladeless wind turbine which is more economic and environmentally friendly than existing wind turbines which produce lots of noise and kills birds.

Bladeless wind turbine

Instead of rotating blades, the Saphonian's sail-shaped body collects the kinetic energy of the wind, told by Saphonian's inventor.
How bladeless wind turbine works ?
Inventor explained that the resulting mechanical energy moves pistons which generate hydraulic pressure that can be stored in a hydraulic accumulator or converted into electricity.

Environmentally friendly wind turbine

Due to Betz Law classical wind turbines can capture 40-50 % of kinetic energy from wind. The new concept has ability to capture up to 80 % of kinetic energy from the wind. What's more it reduces the aerodynamic and mechanical losses associated with rotating blades.
It is claimed that the new bladeless prototype is 2.3 times more efficient and costs half price of conventional wind turbines. Because new bladeless concept has not gearbox, blades and hub.

It is estimated that it would take up to two years until the commercial product reaches the market. However it is also added that the manufacturing step is also important as it will determine how the market will accept it.

Siemens 75 m Wind Turbine Blade( World's longest )

6:57 PM 3 Comments

Day by day wind industry is going to be massive. The next incredible new is from Siemens. They're building the world's largest turbine with each blade 75 meters in length. Each blade is made by carbon fiber(Siemens believes the B75 blade is the world’s largest fiberglass component to be moulded in one piece.), and it will be working at coast of Britain in 2014.

Siemens 6 MW offshore blade

The contract agreed on July 19, 2012 to supply 300 wind turbines with a capacity of 1.8 GW which will be installed between 2014-2017. The 6MW offshore prototype will be working for testing during the next year.
This 6 MW offshore wind turbine has 154 meters diameter with a swept area of more than 18.600 square meters which is equivalent to the area of approximately two-and-a-half football fields. 6 MW offshore wind turbine can supply approximately 6000 European household with electricity.

Siemens 6 MW nacelle

The blades will be built in factory in Aalborg, Denmark. One more important point is transporting for these giant wind blades. Normally the distance between factory and Britain is 330 km. But because of re-routing due to over size blades (bridges, roads... are considered) 575 km will be gone.

Siemens blade transportation

Michael Suess, a board member for Siemens energy sector, said: 'Offshore wind energy has huge potential. Offshore wind conditions are strong and stable, enabling an energy yield which can be about 40 percent higher than onshore.'The United Kingdom, Denmark and Germany in particular are counting on the future of offshore wind energy. We are pleased that our long-term customer DONG Energy has chosen the latest generation of our wind turbines.'Together we are working to further reduce the levelised costs for this environmentally-friendly form of power generation.'

SWT 6.0 MW

Just to compare Airbus A 380 with Siemens 6 MW offshore wind blade !!

Airbus A 380

Lastly, Vestas has also 8 MW offshore wind turbine with 164 meters diameter !! See: http://easywindenergy.blogspot.de/2013/05/vestas-v164-80-mw-offshore.html

During 20 Years Generating Wind Power

8:10 PM 1 Comment

20 years ago on 14 May 1993, nine onshore wind turbines along the harbor wall at Blyth in Northumberland started to produce power. These 9 onshore wind turbines were the pioneers. Between them they produced less electricity than just one of the modern turbines now springing up in the North East countryside.

Wind farm at Blyth

20 years ago they were really giants, but when we look today's new generation offshore wind turbines one must say these 9 onshore wind turbines are minnows. Total power capacity of these 9 wind turbines were 3 MW which is half capacity of the only one new generation offshore wind turbine!!

Wind farm in UK

On the other side, these wind turbines are working well since 20 years. This is really significant success. It is clear that all investigations are done well. This is really important reference for the customer to show their turbines are working since 20 years.

Wind farm

In same harbor new generation offshore wind turbines tests are made. 8 MW offshore wind turbines with 160 m diameter will be tested !!

And lastly you can watch the short video about this history by BBC.

Vestas V100-1.8 MW

9:35 PM 2 Comments

Vestas V100-1.8 MW have 49 m blades which are designed to extract much more power from the low winds. Thanks to 100m rotor diameter, it maximize the power output. What's more it is starting to produce power just at 3 m/s which is pretty low wind speed. That's why as a summary one can say, for lower wind sites, V100-1.8 MW is a good choice.

Vestas V-100 1.8 MW

Many times Vestas V100-1.8 MW is tested and as consequence it is reliable. Since 1999 6500 Vestas 2 MW turbines are installed whole around the world. And this 2.0 MW Vestas turbine is improved once more to get more energy production at low wind onshore sides.

Vestas wind turbine

What's more Vestas V100-1.8 MW is designed for high productivity and noise issue is made better without any impact on power production with an excellent grid support. As the other ones Vestas V100-1.8 MW is designed also for serviceability with reliable and robust energy production. Yaw system is also improved.

Vestas V-100 1.8 MW

The Vestas Control System inside the V100-1.8 MW delivers a constant and consistent output to the grid. The system is able to maintain grid stability by quickly regulating the turbine’s power provision when needed. It swiftly responds to faults and other grid disturbances. The VCS also lessens the load on the gearbox and other key components, reducing wear and tear.

Vestas V110-2.0 MW

9:47 PM No Comments

Vestas launches two new 2MW wind turbines: V100-2.0 MW and V110-2.0 MW as addition to V100-1.8 MW, V90-1.8/2.0MW and V80-2MW ...

Vestas V110-2.0 MW

Same rated power for different areas from Vestas. Vestas wants to enlarge market to lower wind sides too. The new turbines will allow customers to use a wider range of lower wind sites and increase annual energy production by 13%.

Vestas wind turbine

The new version Vestas V110-2.0 MW will be installed in Denmark in first quarter 2014 and serial production of both the V100-2.0 MW and the V110-2.0 MW will commence in second quarter of 2014 and fourth quarter of 2014 respectively.

Vestas blades

Vestas V110-2.0 MW turbine has rated power 2000 kW with 50/60Hz options. Cut-in wind speed is 3m/s and it reaches rated wind speed 11.5 m/s. Because of long blades cut out wind speed is 20 m/s instead of 24 m/s. That's why it is proper choice for lower wind side(IEC IIIA). Rotor diameter is 110 m(max chord length is 3.9 m) with 4 or 6 pole doubly fed generator. It has also hub height options with 80,95 and 125 m. And lastly Vestas V110-2.0 MW has capability produce 8.000 MW energy with 7 m/s average wind speed in a year.

Vestas V110 power curve

Vestas V164-8.0 MW Offshore

10:06 AM 1 Comment

Vestas calls it as V164-8.0 MW. The development of the V164-8.0 MW offshore turbine is still progressing.Main components such as drivetrain, bearings and blade are now in testing step. For the first prototype of the V164-8.0 MW offshore is expected to be installed in the second quarter of the 2014.

Vestas V164-8.0 MW Offshore wind turbine blade test

V164-8.0 MW will be worlds' biggest and most powerful wind turbine for offshore. It is said first prototype of the blade is currently undergoing testing. At the same time in the worlds' biggest test bench of Vestas testing facilities in Aarhus, Denmark, drivetrain, gearbox and generator is undergoing testing.

Vestas V164-8.0 MW Offshore wind turbine hub

Other main components such as hub, blade bearings, main shaft, main bearing have been also manufactured. It is expected the first prototype of V164_8.0 MW will be running in the second quarter of 2014.

The gearbox is ready for testing in Aarhus, Denmark.

Vestas V164-8.0 MW Offshore wind turbine gearbox test stand

For the first prototype this shaft is also ready to test.
As a short information about Vestas' giant blade, just one blade weighs 33 tons !!

Vestas V164-8.0 MW Offshore wind turbine blade 80m

Ice Effects on Wind Turbines

8:47 PM No Comments

Wind turbines should be able to work really in hard conditions. Sometimes they must withstand so cold weathers, sometimes so high temperatures which depends on where the turbine locates.

Wind turbine blade with ice

Especially the blades are effected in an important manner from the cold weather. And sometimes the ices can be problem for wind turbines. That's why during development state, up to climate conditions of desired area which turbine will be located, some extra calculations must be done. One of this extra calculations is ice loads which is defined in guidelines.

Ice loads

If the turbine continue to produce power in cold weather, ice can be seen on the blade. Due to ice, mass of the blade is changing which makes extra high loads on the some parts of the turbines. What's more if the ice is effecting the pitch motors, the turbine must be shut down by control mechanism. If not due to high rotational speeds, some parts of turbine can be damaged.

Wind turbine blade with ice

To let the turbine produce power in worse weather conditions wind turbine ice protection system (WTIPS) is invented. It is deicing the blade's leading edge by pulsing power to safely shed ice. WTIPS is a electro-thermal device system using technology originally developed through a NASA Small Business Innovative Research. It is light weight, easy to install, digitally controllable with Plc systems and reliable.

Ice effects on wind turbine blades

To get an idea about ice effects on wind turbines you can watch the following video. The turbine continue working with icy blades.

Windspiral Wind Turbines

8:13 PM No Comments

Day by day the number of vertical axis wind turbines growing. Because they are more efficient, easy to install, smaller, and most important one cheaper to build than the common wind turbine designs.

Windspiral Turbine

One of these interesting design is Windspiral turbine which is roughly 10 meters long ant 1 meter width. As the others it is also used for converting wind energy into measurable electrical energy. It has same working principle with vertical axis wind turbines. And it is remote controllable. The owner of that design can track it from computer thanks to wireless modem.

Windspiral wind turbine

Windspiral wind turbines can produce 2 Megawatt hours per year in 5.5 meters per second average wind speed which is approximately half energy used by a regular house. One more advantage of this design is lower rotational speed. It means less noise and less loads on materials. It can be used easily in cities or gardens of houses. With some modifications it can produce more energy which is enough for a home. You can get an impression by watching following short video.

Wind Turbine Blade Tests

12:54 PM No Comments

Blade tests

If we look up to the wind turbine costs. It can be clearly seen that the blades have a huge importance for a wind turbine. Blades are used for capturing energy from the wind. Longer blades mean higher captured power. But when the blade length is increased, beside higher power, higher loads will also occur. After certain wind speed blades won't be able to withstand with higher loads and they will be broken which is not desirable situation. That's why the blade length is optimized.

Blade bending test

When the rotor is rotating, the blades have a certain rotational speed which is calculated before construction. After certain rotational speed, the turbine must be shut down to prevent collapsing. If not, the blades will turn faster and faster in high wind conditions. And due to high force at the tip of blade, it will tend to bend to the tower. As a result it will hit to tower.

Blade bending test

Bending property of the blade is so important and blade frequencies must be also calculated to prevent a resonance effect before construction. Due to all this stuff, some type of tests are made by blade manufacturers. Because they want to be pretty sure that their blades can withstand with all conditions in an efficient way. That's why as a first step, they are investigating the loads and they are making some experiments with blades which are showed in previous pictures.

Blade bending

As it seen in the previous photo, the tips of the blades bend to the tower due to wind. As in development stage, during investigating the loads, tip to tower distance in all extreme conditions must also be considered as it defined in guidelines.

Why do wind turbines always have three blades?

8:44 PM 1 Comment

If you have seen a wind farm, you have noticed that wind turbines have 3 blades. Why not 1 blade, 2 blades, 4 blades or 5 blades ? Because the aim is when the power is produced not to capture more wind. The aim is capturing wind with greatest efficiency. And as a result it is found that 3 blades is the most efficient and less troublesome way.

Wind turbine with one blade

It is not common but when you see a wind turbine with one blade, you shouldn't surprise. It looks like a little different from the other common wind turbines even the working principle is same. Due to one blade, it is cheaper from the others. On the other hand the aesthetic of the one bladed turbine is a little worse. Whole wind energy sector compromise about 3 blade wind turbines due to aesthetic. If we look more detail, the efficiency of the one bladed turbine is higher, but the loads are also higher due to unbalance rotor. What's more it tends to spin faster. That's why it is much more noisy.

2 bladed offshore wind turbine

As it seen the previous figure, sometimes two bladed wind turbines can also be seen. The same phenomena about aesthetic is valid for two bladed wind turbine also. But this has higher efficiency than the one bladed and 3 bladed wind turbines. When we compare with 3 bladed wind turbines, the only advantage is one blade is less, that's why it is cheaper. It is cheaper from the rotor side but on the other hand because of higher loads the maintenance costs and the life of turbine must be considered also.

3 bladed wind turbine

Due to aesthetic, efficient loads 3 bladed wind turbines are much more common. When it is compared with the other types of wind turbines, powerful enough and it is less noisy because of tending to spin slower. Noise issue is also must be considered when a wind turbine constructed. Because of these reasons 3 bladed wind turbines are accepted in wind energy sector.

Wind turbine with 5 blade

When the number of the blades are increasing, normally cost of turbine is also increasing. That's why the turbines which have more than 3 blades seen rarely. If we look from the technical side, when we have more than 3 blades, we must make them lighter. When they are lighter, they will tend to spin faster and they will be broken. That's why generally it is not good idea to use more than 3 blades.

Wind Turbines with Solar Panel

7:36 PM 3 Comments

Wind turbine with solar panel

Creative idea !! Wind turbine with solar panel. Working principle is a little bit different from the other ones. Solar energy is used for producing power instead of using wind energy. Whats more the energy from small solar panel is used for rotating the blades. It is just for fun. As it seen this is a wind turbine model for kinds, offices or houses.

Wind turbine model

Sometimes different types of designs can be seen as the following photo. The energy to rotate the blades is provided again by the mini solar panels on the blades. These designs are only artificial. Due to aerodynamic properties of the blades it is not allowed to use any other materials on blades. If it wouldn't be like that one could think about this idea to produce power even lower wind speeds which normal wind turbines can't produce power.

Wind blades with solar panel

It is pretty good idea to give this type of presents to the persons who is busy with renewable energy. These gifts are effective and can be found easily from some shopping centers or online shopping sites.

Wind turbine model

Lastly some persons developed this idea to charge some small devices as mobile phones or chargeable lamps. Basically, the wind turbine part and solar panel part are working together to produce power. And the produced power is regulated with small regulator to use for mobile phones. When there is no sun on the sky, only wind turbine part can be used or vice versa.