RENEWABLE ENERGY
AFTERMARKET ADVANCES
Streamlining maintenance, maximising reliability and reducing the environmental impact of onshore wind turbines with aftermarket solutions
A
s with any rapidly adopted technology, wind power presents distinct challenges for which solutions need to be developed
to short time-frames. Innovative wind turbine experts are now off ering aftermarket solutions that can overcome problematic maintenance procedures, reduce local environmental impact and maximise reliability for onshore wind turbines.
Comprised of premium brands
Svendborg Brakes, Stromag, Ameridrives, Twifl ex and Warner Electric – Altra Renewables off ers three decades of experience in wind turbine braking systems. T e business off ers solutions to meet the needs of the entire wind turbine lifecycle - with an emphasis on aftermarket support.
Green Alternative yaw brake friction material meets restriction of use of hazardous substances (REACH) standards adhered to by the automotive industry
Onshore wind turbines present multiple challenges with regards to maintenance: tall, large and often installed in remote locations. Maintenance and repair services for power transmission assemblies located in the nacelle are notoriously diffi cult to schedule and costly to achieve. For turbine operators, it is imperative to have access to a specialist who can provide turnkey solutions quickly and with minimal disturbance to energy production. Furthermore, operators and service providers must be sympathetic to local residents and the surrounding eco- system.
OVERCOMING PROBLEMATIC MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES As the modern development and adoption of onshore wind power has increased exponentially, the tools required to carry out turbine maintenance have struggled to keep pace. Every operator wants maintenance to be completed quickly and safely. However, maintenance teams are required to work at
height repairing or replacing heavy equipment, which is risky, diffi cult work. For example, a small yaw brake calliper
can weigh up to 60kg, whereas a large yaw brake can reach 200kg. With some turbines featuring up to 20 yaw brakes
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to control their position, this places great strain on maintenance personnel, especially given the scale of modern wind farms. Many turbines do not have in-built elevators either, so maintenance personnel may have to climb a 100m high ladder before repairs can even commence. To improve the speed and ease of yaw
brake replacement, Altra Renewables off ers its Yaw Brake Lifting and Installation Tool. T e solution enables the easy interchange of yaw brakes in-situ. Brakes can be attached to the tool and lowered down to the fl oor for maintenance work, then reassembled units raised and installed quickly. T is condenses several repair steps, while also eliminating the need for heavy lifting by personnel. Personnel work conditions and speed are consequently improved. T e tool is available in various confi gurations to suit multiple turbines. Weighing in at around 40kg, it can be easily transported too.
Yaw brake discs are large in size and
weight. In the past, servicing them required the complete disassembly of the large turbine nacelle. Discs naturally suff er wear as the turbine turns to face the wind and small imperfections can grow to compromise the smoothness of the disc surface. Braking performance
The portable
Disc Resurfacing Tool enables uptower
operation to
be carried out on site with
increased speed
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