Lifecycle assessments
for the safe and efficient operation of your wind turbines
A wide range of tests are necessary for the operation of wind turbines during their lifecycle. Whether it is to reduce downtime, to determine the cause of a fault, to increase the service life or to comply with legal requirements – enovation is the right partner. We offer a range of tests. Please contact us for a personal consultation.
The following tests are offered, among others:
Before the buyer or operator takes over a wind turbine, a detailed inspection is essential. Have all contractual and official obligations been fulfilled in the technical sense? Has the agreed scope of services been delivered? Was the plant built according to the valid technical and legal requirements? Are there any defects that could prevent the plant from operating permanently? Have all safety-related regulations been complied with?
A commissioning inspection will answer all these questions for you. All deviations can be identified, documented and rectified before acceptance – for a technically flawless commissioning.
The condition-based inspection (ZOP) is used to assess the current technical condition of a wind turbine. It can be carried out for various reasons:
- Fulfilling insurance requirements for complete protection
- Checking before the warranty expires or before exiting a full maintenance contract
- Timely identification of defects for the assertion of warranty claims
The scope of the inspection depends on the purpose. In principle, the ZOP includes a technical inspection of the machine, tower, foundation and rotor blades.
The ZOP can also be supplemented with the following services:
- Gear endoscopy
- Vibration measurements
- Lightning protection measurement
- Oil analysis
The result is a detailed report on the current technical condition of the wind turbine. Possible damage can be detected and repaired at an early stage.
According to §5 of the DGUV regulation 3, the operator of a wind turbine is obliged to regularly check the electrical systems and equipment for their proper condition. If this inspection is not carried out, there is a risk of fines or criminal prosecution.
The DGUV-V3 inspection includes:
- Visual inspection of the entire wind turbine
- Checking the transformer and/or customer substation
- Testing safety-related functions
- Metrological inspection of all sockets, earthing connections and other components
Thanks to our experienced inspectors, existing defects can often be remedied directly – thus minimising additional journeys and downtime.
Repairs, service work or the replacement of rotor blades can lead to rotor imbalances. These cause high loads and vibrations in the drive train, which can lead to long-term damage to components such as gearboxes or main bearings, increased repair costs and loss of revenue. In addition, the energy yield decreases if imbalances go undetected.
Regular rotor unbalance measurement offers a number of advantages:
- Vibration reduction
- Reduced mechanical stress on the tower
- Prevention of permanent damage
- Minimisation of downtime
- Extension of service life
- Avoidance of high repair costs
Our Condition Monitoring System (CMS) also allows the measurement of bearings and gearboxes, so that signs of wear can be detected at an early stage. The combination of blade angle and rotor unbalance measurement, including subsequent balancing, provides you with a complete solution – from a single source, with minimal downtime and maximum efficiency.
Misaligned rotor blades cause aerodynamic imbalances that lead to mechanical vibrations in the turbine. Regular blade angle checks ensure that all rotor blades are optimally aligned.
Correcting the blade angles offers many advantages:
- Reduced vibration levels in the wind turbine
- Lower loads on machine and structural components
- Lower tower loads
- Higher energy yield and less downtime
- Longer operating time of the plant
- Reduced susceptibility to faults
- Improved smooth running and reduced noise
A correction of the blade angles can be carried out at the same time as the measurement on site and can be checked by means of an immediate re-measurement. We can also offer rotor balancing.
The main gearbox is one of the most heavily loaded components of a wind turbine. A gearbox failure can lead to long downtimes, high repair costs and significant revenue losses.
Using the latest endoscopy technology, we can detect damage to the gearbox at an early stage. All accessible bearings and gear teeth are inspected using a video endoscope.
The advantages of gear endoscopy:
- Early detection of damage to the gearbox
- Avoiding expensive gearbox failures
- Reducing maintenance and repair costs
Our experienced inspectors document the inspection in detail and provide a well-founded assessment of the condition of the gearbox components. This means that necessary measures can be initiated in good time and high downtime costs avoided.