Anatomy of a Wind Turbine

Dale W Reckman Director, Field Services

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Nomenclature

Hub

Nacelle

Blade

Person

Tower

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Wind Turbine Operation

Energy Conversion
Input > Wind
Kinetic energy

Pressure Differential
Blades are an airfoil,
P provides lift - rotational motion

Mechanical Energy (rotary motion)

Gear box as a speed increaser

Generator
Converts mechanical to electrical energy

Output > Electricity fed to the grid

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Residential Scale
Less than 100 kilowatt rating 120/240 volt single phase or three phase output Used on a home, farm or business AC or DC output 30-80 part count

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Community Scale

Range between 100 kilowatt and 1000 kilowatt or 1megawatt rating, < 600 volts three phase output Used to feed a specific load with the excess going into the local electrical distribution network 1,000-3,000 part count
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Utility Scale
Larger than 1 megawatt rating Up to 13 kV, three phase output Feed into the transmission grid to service a distant load center 22 main component groups with as many as 8,000 total parts
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Wind Turbine Size

Courtesy - AWEA

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Nacelle Assembly

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Turbine Components
There are over 8000 components in a turbine, including:
Towers:

Nacelle:
Nacelle Cover Nacelle Base Heat exchanger Controllers Generator Power Electronics Lubricants Filtration Insulation Gearbox Pump Drivetrain Ceramics Shaft

Foundation:
Rebar Concrete Casings

Towers Ladders Lifts

Rotor:

Other:
Transformers Bolts/Fasteners Wire Paints and Coatings Lighting Lightning Protection Steel Working/Machining Communication Devices Control and Condition Monitoring Equip. Electrical Interface and Connections Batteries Bearings Courtesy - AWEA Brakes
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Hub Nose Cone Blades - Composites - Blade Core Pitch Mechanisms Drives Brakes Rotary Union

Machine Head / Nacelle

Rotor Lock Out Disc Main Shaft Bearing Gear Drive Cooling Cabinets Main Shaft

Brake Assembly

Tower Hub, Spinner & Blade Assembly Shrink Disc Main Frame / Bed Plate Generator Frame

Yaw Systems
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Gear Box & Generator

Input Side

Generator / Gearbox Assembly

Air to Air Cooler Assembly

Key Machining Note Generator / Gearbox Can have as many as 5 Internal in-line bores with .0015 TIR requirements.

Planetary Gearset Location

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Planetary Gear Set

Ring Gear, (1)

Planet Gear, (4)

Sun Gear, (1)

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Blades

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Blade Repair In Field

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Hub
Blade Mtg. Face

Electric or Hydraulic Pitch Motor Assemblies

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Main Shaft
Tapered End ( for Shrink Disc connection )

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M Main Shaft

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Yaw System
Nacelle Bottom Connection

Credit: Kaydon Corporation

Tower Top Connection

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Towers Towers wer r

Credit Carell Corp. Credit : Carell Corp. e Corp

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Towers

Credit, DMI.
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Farm Assembly

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Fabrication Opportunity Summary

Structural Frames Main Frames Generator Frames Ladders Platforms Towers Nacelle Crane Structurals Ancillary Small Fabrications Tower Door Assemblies
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Main Frames / Support Bases Rear Frames Attachment Studs Gearbox Housings Gearbox / Drive Internals Hubs Main Shafts Brake Components Shrink Discs Barrel Nuts
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Machining Opportunity Summary

Forging Opportunity Summary

Main Shafts Attachment Studs Brake Components Gearbox / Drive Internals
Shafts Gears Retainers

Shrink Discs Ancillary Components

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Electrical Opportunity Summary

Nacelle / Tower Lighting Circuit Boards Harnesses Custom Insulators Motors Sensors UPSs ( Universal Power Supplies ) Ancillary Components ( wire, terminations, brackets )
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Composite Opportunity Summary

Complete Blade Assemblies Resins Substrates Mesh, Cloth & Fabrics Cores Protective Films Blade Roots Ancillary Chemicals

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Commodity Opportunity Summary

Bearings ( both commercial & custom ) Fasteners Instrumentation Cranes Lube Systems Cooling Systems SCADA Systems Meteorological Systems + Many More
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Structure of Supply Chain and Operations & Maintenance

Patrick Fullenkamp Director, Technical Services pfullenkamp@glwn.org

Copyright 2010 GLWN