Through working closely with windfarm owners and technicians, we are constantly seeking to understand the maintenance challenges associated with certain components and always look to improve the service engineer's experience where possible.
A recent improvement discovered was on the encoder mount for the Vestas Mk7 Power Slip Ring. From speaking with wind turbine technicians, it was found that the encoders didn't last as long as the slip rings and often incurred damage to perfectly good units when trying to remove it, therefore we went away and designed a simple but innovative solution to the problem.
“The encoder would alarm the SCADA system and need to be replaced. The glue bonding the encoder to the shaft would melt under high temperatures and no longer remain true to the shaft.” Wind Turbine Technician
This would have to be removed with force (if removed at all). To overcome this issue, we developed an over-moulded shaft to serve as a new encoder drive which can easily be replaced and then re-machined as part of a refurb. This prevents damage of the slip ring during encoder removal and gives a greater chance of success when the slip ring eventually requires refurbishment saving more money for the customer.
Design Advantages:
- Easy encoder separation without damaging the slip ring
- Over-moulded shaft
- Easily replaced and re-machined
- Prevents damage
- Saves money on refurbishing
View our Vestas MK7 Upgrade Flipbook