Some critical subsystems remain in the capable hands of the wind technician
It was not so long ago that control systems utilized physical indicator lights and annunciators to provide a warning system of system faults on...
Graphical Processing Units offer a promising solution for parallelizing computations of N-body problems
Unsteady aerodynamics caused by platform kinematics represents a significant increase in system complexity for offshore wind turbines. Offshore floating wind turbines (OFWTs) present significant...
Logistics planning becomes more difficult with uncertainty about the future of wind energy tax...
Unlike previous years, AWEA Windpower 2012 held in Atlanta, had less than stellar attendance. Unfortunately, the attendance downturn will very likely parallel the downturn...
Many factors play a role in successfully coordinating crane service for wind park maintenance
In the past few months we have discussed crane rigging, types of cranes, and how to remove blades. This month we will be taking...
Where a gearbox oil sample is taken is just as important as how it...
In our previous installment we explained how wind technicians can use their physical senses to diagnose some common wind turbine gearbox problems while up...
Tuned liquid column dampers offer a robust and cost effective means for reducing loads...
Offshore floating wind turbines (OFWTs) may hold the key to large-scale offshore wind energy. They can operate in deep waters, far from shore where...
The Seven Laws of Supply Chain Management
From one my favorite books, “A Road Less Traveled” by M. Scott Peck, the opening line is “Life is difficult.” And as Dr. Peck...
Wind speeds change at various heights, making hoisting projects on wind farms particularly challenging
In past months we have learned about the maintenance process, rigging techniques, and the different crane types relative to the wind industry. This month...
Maintenance professionals can use their physical senses to detect gearbox problems
Armed with some experience and a bit of awareness, there are several ways in which a technician can diagnose wind turbine gearbox problems while...
Uncertainty in the soil properties can have effects on the reliability of offshore turbine...
While offshore wind turbine technology has evolved from its onshore predecessor, engineering experience in the offshore oil and gas industry has also contributed to...
Lessons learned during a career that helps keep projects on track
Problems, issues, delays, deadlines… things that make your project not to go as planned. This is what I am writing about in this installment...
Techniques used in wind park construction
Wind park maintenance, as we learned last month, can be quite the rigging challenge. If we focus on the flip side of the coin,...
Winds that make a wind farm an attractive site can also make it a...
Over the last two months we have looked at the capabilities of cranes in maintenance and construction applications. This month we are going to...
Validating tightness can help foresee failure issues in bolted flanges
Maybe you’ve heard this one before: “A technician walks into a wind turbine and finds a broken bolt lying on the floor.” Not as...
Optimizing passive tuned mass dampers can greatly reduce loads in offshore floating wind turbines
As offshore wind energy projects move farther offshore into deeper waters, wind turbines on floating platforms instead of the traditional fixed bottom platforms become...
A logistics quality system involving three basic elements will lead to better outcomes
I am often asked how important quality systems are in logistics. I always answer by saying that it depends on the scope of the...
With the increase in megawatt output, turbines and associated components pose maintenance challenges
This month we continue our conversation about safe practices for wind technicians. Inarguably, one of the more demanding tasks of a wind technician is...
Offshore floating turbines offer a compelling means of harnessing the massive resources available in...
Most utility-scale wind turbines look the same: three blades, tapering in spanwise chord and twist from root to tip, rotor located upwind relative to...
Planning and preparation are critical to any successful project
The contract is finally signed, and everyone lets out a sigh of relief. Six months of hard negotiations hammered home an agreement. The only...
With the increase in megawatt output, larger turbines and associated components pose maintenance challenges
As the MW output of modern wind turbines continues to scale upward, the components of these machines increase in size. Maintenance tasks associated with...
