Emerging Technologies for Drivetrain Condition Monitoring

Rich Wurzbach, MRG Labs

Emerging Technologies for Drivetrain Condition Monitoring

• Wind turbines are provided with basic diagnostic systems and data delivery and archiving

• Real-time monitoring has advantages in remote delivery and rapidly degrading (short P-F curve) failure modes

• Proven technologies in other power generation applications can expand monitoring effectiveness for drivetrain components

Emerging Technologies: Proven in Power Generation

• Infrared Thermography – electrical, mechanical and flow applications widespread in power plants

• Grease Analysis—technology lags oil analysis, but new sampling and analysis techniques used in power gen, manufacturing applications

• Acoustic Emission—early military applications, used in structural analysis, complement to vibration analyiss

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Retrofit and Periodic route-based condition monitoring

• Handheld and sampling-based analysis can be performed at low cost-impact during uptower maintenance activities

• Route-based analysis limited by turbine access frequencies

• Supplemental vibration analysis, acoustic emission, oil analysis, grease analysis, infrared thermography, ultrasonic monitoring.

Infrared Thermography

Infrared of generator connections

Infrared Thermography

• Advantages– Infrared cameras are lower cost, lightweight

and can be carried uptower on maintenance inspections

– Electrical system problems can be detected early, limiting downtime and fire-risk

• Disadvantages– Skill required to interpret images– Some targets might not be easily viewable

Ultrasonic Monitoring

Ultrasonic Monitoring• Advantages

– Can evaluate lubrication effectiveness, turbulent flow conditions (hydraulics), electrical arcing of breakers, connections, brushes

– Lightweight and portable equipment– Detect multiple issues– Sounds are intuitive, short learning curve

• Disadvantages– Typically requires further analysis to pinpoint

problem

Grease sampling

• Oil analysis is well-established and in widespread use

• Relative ease in obtaining oil samples (existing or installed valves or fittings) based on oil’s ability to flow

• Grease as a non-Newtonian fluid presents sampling challenges

• Tools effective in sampling oil typically not effective for greases

Wind Turbine Sampling

Photo by Steffen Bots, Oelcheck

Danish Wind Producers Main Bearing Grease Sampling Project• Key players DONG Energy and Vattenfall

major offshore wind operators in Europe• Team assemble to evaluate sampling

methods and value of grease analysis• 1-dimensional and 3-dimensional sampling

performed on inservice and failed bearings• Project expanded to Horns Rev 1 project,

other wind farms across Europe

Main Bearing Sampling• For bearings with

drain plug/access port, sample can be positioned at face of bearing

• 1 gram sample is obtained from this live zone

No drain, other samples• When direct access

to grease is provided or required, spatula tool and syringe are used to compile sample

• Target grease is from the active zone in the bearing or gears

Photo: DONG Energy

Acoustic Emission

• Tested at the USDA-ARS site in Bushland, TX

• Testing both for drivetrain components and structural elements such as blades

• Some bearing failure modes do not produce traditional vibration signatures until very late in failure

• AE can be early detection system, can be partnered with grease analysis for fretting wear evaluation in main bearings.

Acoustic Emission

If you utilize a third-party maintenance provider, how important is the offer or use of

diagnostic technologies in selecting or maintaining them as your service provider?

A. No difference-we select them based on maintenance competencies

B. I would consider changing to a maintenance service provider that offers or provides advanced diagnostic technologies

C. I would expand my current contract to include advanced diagnostic technologies

D. I do not have budget to fund activities beyond basic maintenance services.

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