Windpower Engineering and Development 2022 Renewable Energy Handbook December 2021

BOLTING

Maintaining a successful wind industry with efficient maintenance tools

BY R A D TO R Q U E S Y S T E M S

Despite

some major disruptions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the global wind industry is still having record-breaking years. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, 2020 saw a 53% year-on-year increase of new capacity installed, with no hint of slowing down. Thanks to the clean energy output and smaller footprint, wind farms are a growing business.

With more wind turbines being built globally, the need to keep these assets operating safely and as efficiently as possible is increasing. By ensuring the turbines are operated and maintained consistently, the initial investment can be preserved, unscheduled stoppages and downtime can be avoided and the environmental impact of replacing the turbines sooner can be reduced.

susceptible to unpredictable weather patterns. Operations crews are always working within a tight, compact schedule to accomplish their required maintenance tasks. Some days can be too windy to have cranes working to lift materials, so the job is shut down. When the window occurs and the weather calms, it’s important that crews can efficiently tackle as much as they can within a short time frame.

Unpredictable environments Working on a wind farm is unlike any other environment. A wind turbine is constantly exposed to the elements and experiences all types of weather — heat, cold, rain and, of course, wind. Dirt can build up and cause issues for both the turbine and those tasked with operating and maintaining it.

Not surprisingly, one of the most significant challenges faced by managing a wind farm is the height — everything needs to be carried up several flights, and the weight of tools and required components can be a big factor in maintenance.

Added to these challenges is that the need to work in the landscape that is often

Ongoing maintenance Wind turbines generally require preventative maintenance checkups a few times a year that must be performed by specialized technicians. With more than 25,000 bolts on an average wind turbine, one of the most important routine maintenance activities is to perform a torque check on the bolts used on all parts of the turbine. Torque is an indirect indicator of fastener tension and boltedjoint clamp load. Bolts are checked on the towers, in the cell, the generator, and the power generator. Even the blades are bolted on, so it’s important they are checked regularly.

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WINDPOWER ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT // 2022 RENEWABLE ENERGY HANDBOOK

It’s essential that the bolts carry a precise bolt load and are within the variation specified by the original equipment manufacturer. When bolts are checked, it’s to ensure they are tight — but not too tight. If they are too loose, malfunctions or even catastrophic disasters can occur.

If they are too tight, they can be stretched to the point where they can no longer carry a clamp load and will need to be replaced. With so many bolts, the extreme environments, and the height of the wind turbine, this is a job that needs to be done efficiently while meeting exacting standards.

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