Bonfiglioli drives wind farm

4th Quarter 2010 Electrical switching & drive systems & components

Alpha Ventus, the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, was recently commissioned off the German island of Borkum in the North Sea.

The wind farm consists of 12 towers between 148 and 155 metres in height, each generating 5 MW of electricity. It is expected to generate enough electricity to power 500 000 homes.

Bonfiglioli was the preferred partner for this major €250 million development, and supplied the yaw drives that orient the wind turbine nacelles and the pitch drives that adjust the angle of attack of the blades. Bonfiglioli has been producing motion control systems for wind turbines since 1985 and has a market share of over 30%.

A tall order

The harsh environment and high power output of the turbines called for reliable, high performance components. Orientation of the nacelle (yaw) and blades (pitch) had to be constantly adjusted to achieve optimum exposure and to derive adequate torque for the blades. It was also important to avoid dangerous overspeed conditions occurring in strong winds and to prevent side gusts from subjecting the mast to damaging oscillations. To control these risks, the nacelle and blades were required to rotate intelligently around their axes to assume the position required by the control system.

Fresh thinking

Fresh thinking was needed to meet these load requirements. The outcome had to be lightweight and compact but no compromise could be made when it came to solid design and long service life of the components. The design also had to be to be maintenance and service friendly.

The Bonfiglioli solution

Bonfiglioli, which produces equipment for some of the world’s most sophisticated applications, was able to achieve this through the introduction of two new drive systems. Bonfiglioli Trasmital 700T series planetary gearboxes were selected, driven by Bonfiglioli series brake motors and controlled by Bonfiglioli Vectron inverters (AgilE, Active or Active Cube series). Together these provided vector speed and torque control.

Pitch drive

The pitch drive controls the angle adjustment of each of the blades through three independent systems. To withstand the high stress duty cycle, Bonfiglioli introduced the 711 T3F gearbox, together with a special P200 motor adaptor. It had the following main features:

* A reinforced final stage planet carrier, designed after test and simulation.

* Higher capacity pinion and final stage output bearings which enhanced safety and improved reliability.

Yaw drive

The yaw drive moves the nacelle to the optimum position and holds it there. This is performed by electric geared motors. To meet the need for a compact solution, Bonfiglioli introduced a new gearbox, the 716 T4U, together with the BN 160M FD motor. In addition to the features listed above, this system had:

* A reinforced final drive to improve torque delivery without an increase in blade dimensions.

* A supported pinion to increase stiffness and performance while keeping the compact design.

For more information contact Robert Rohman, Bonfiglioli, +27 (0)11 608 2030, [email protected], www.bonfiglioli.co.za

Further reading:

Modular assembly platform for clean manufacturing
Beckhoff Automation Electrical switching & drive systems & components
JR Automation delivers custom automated solutions for numerous industries. It has done this through its scalable, modular automation platform, FlexChassis, which speeds up time to market while cutting costs. The company chose the XTS linear transport system from Beckhoff because of its speed, and modular design that allows for multiple configurations.

Read more...

---

Not just a hoist, but a game-changer
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The Konecranes S-series hoist redefines industrial lifting, integrating synthetic rope and smart features engineered for enhanced safety and productivity. With a lifting capacity of up to 20 tons, the Konecranes S-series rope hoist adapts to diverse girder configurations.

Read more...

---

New system improves performance of magnetic drive pumps
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
KSB Pumps and Valves has introduced its ground-breaking MagnoProtect system for the local petrochemical, chemical and general industry markets ,to enhance the safety and performance of its magnetic drive pumps.

Read more...

---

Parker’s non-welded flange technology
Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Parker’s 37 non-welded flange technology is known for its ability to reduce the installation time and cost of hydraulic systems compared to traditional welded flanges. Hidroser, a Parker Premier Distributor in Turkey, has started this technology for hydraulic operated systems on board its vessels.

Read more...

---

Testing your motor control coordination
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Referro Systems, a supplier of control and automation solutions for the industrial sector, is warning against the risks of using untested components in motor control combinations.

Read more...

---

Motion control solutions for better machining results
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
NSK Europe is shining the spotlight on its latest solutions for machine tools. Innovative NSK bearings, ball screws, and linear guides can deliver significant gains for both machine users and builders.

Read more...

---

Modernising for productivity
SEW-EURODRIVE Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Making its debut appearance at NAMPO Cape in Bredasdorp in September this year, geared motor specialist SEW-EURODRIVE is all set to excite the farming community with even more solutions to drive productivity and efficiency.

Read more...

---

Prime gearbox solutions for pump applications
Bearings International Electrical switching & drive systems & components
I-MAK is a premium global brand in the stable of bearings and power transmission specialist, Bearings International. With more than a million references and hundreds of different product lines, the company’s unique power transmission solutions cater to a large range of applications in virtually all industrial segments.

Read more...

---

Inline pumps for space-saving applications
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Pump manufacturer, KSB Pumps and Valves has introduced its latest EtaLine range of inline pumps, including the advanced EtaLine Pro for diverse applications such as HVAC, industrial recirculation, and heating systems.

Read more...

---

Safe handling in all sectors
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG Electrical switching & drive systems & components
BMG is committed to ensuring optimum safety standards in all sectors, and encourages and assists customers to adhere to stringent safety legislation during bulk handling. Tsubaki backstops and cam clutches, which have been developed and manufactured in Japan for high efficiency and optimum safety in high- or low-speed applications, meet the requirements of current legislation.

Read more...

---