A new strategy for reducing OpEx on a wind farm is by using engineered parts that are designed to last longer, be replaced less frequently, and increase the life of the asset, ultimately reducing operating expenses.
This webinar will go in depth on how to preserve oil condition in order to extend the life of the gearbox with the use of FilterMag®.
Doug Viner, Mechanical Engineer at UpWind Solutions, and Randy Yount, Vice President of Operations at FilterMag®, will both be presenting on the value of engineered parts for wind farm owners.
2. #WindWebinar
q This webinar will be available afterwards at
www.windpowerengineering.com & email
q Q&A at the end of the presentation
q Hashtag for this webinar: #WindWebinar
Before We Start
4. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
5. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
Gearboxes not lasting 20 year design life
à Need for condition monitoring
6. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
Gearboxes not lasting 20 year design life
à Need for condition monitoring
Gearboxes, when they eventually fail,
cause a lot of downtime.
7. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
Gearboxes not lasting 20 year design life
à Need for condition monitoring
1. Temperature
2. Vibration
3. Borescope inspection…
8. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
9. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
10. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
11. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
12. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
“Gaah!”
19. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
“Gaah!”
𝐿↓10 ~(1/∆ 𝑅𝑃𝑀 )∗(1/∆ 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 )↑3
+25%
+100%
same
effect
20. #WindWebinar
𝐿↓10 ~(1/∆ 𝑅𝑃𝑀 )∗(1/∆ 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 )↑3
(1) This is
easy for a
WTG.
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
“Gaah!”
+25%
+100%
same
effect
21. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
“Gaah!”
𝐿↓10 ~(1/∆ 𝑅𝑃𝑀 )∗(1/∆ 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 )↑3
(1) This is
easy for a
WTG.
(2) But
this takes
a big toll.
+25%
+100%
same
effect
26. #WindWebinar
Image Title
Image Title
Case study available here:
www.UpWindSolutions.com/blog/forensics-of-a-hss-bearing-failure
27. #WindWebinar
Part 1: Gearbox Challenges & Solutions
“End-Users Face Long-Term Hurdles, Seek Cost-Effective Solutions”
Gearboxes not lasting 20 year design life
à Need for condition monitoring
1. Temperature
2. Vibration
3. Borescope inspection
4. Oil analysis (at last!)
• Can correlate oil
particles with failure
30. #WindWebinar
Mechanisms of Wear
1. Abrasive Wear
Particles between adjacent moving surfaces
2. Adhesive Wear
Metal to metal contact (insufficient lubricant film)
3. Fatigue Wear
Surfaces subjected to repeated stress
4. Erosive Wear
High velocity fluid (usually with particles)
5. Corrosive Wear
Chemically induced
Water or chemical
35. #WindWebinar
Lubricating Film Thickness
Machine
Clearance
Operating or
Dynamic Clearance
Machine clearance and operating or dynamic clearance are not equal.
Operating clearance depends upon the load, speed and lubricant viscosity.
A lubricant film separates moving surfaces to prevent metal-to-metal contact.
5µm
5µm
≤10µm
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Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication
≤10µm• Typical for rolling element bearings
• Elastic metal deformation
• Pressures reaching 350,000 psi
• Particles in oil flow into the film space
• Size depends upon operating conditions
• Trapped particles may indent the surfaces
• Cause pin point loading and stresses
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Particle Counting / Reporting
• Measured by laser or white light scatter counter
• Counts the number of particles by estimated size
• 4406:99 - Standard for particle count reporting
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Particle Counting / Reporting
Par$cles
per
Milliliter
Range
More
Up
To
&
Code
Than
Including
>28
2,500,000
28
1,300,000
2,500,000
27
640,000
1,300,000
26
320,000
640,000
25
160,000
320,000
24
80,000
160,000
23
40,000
80,000
22
20,000
40,000
21
10,000
20,000
20
5,000
10,000
19
2,500
5,000
18
1,300
2,500
17
640
1,300
16
320
640
15
160
320
14
80
160
13
40
80
12
20
40
11
10
20
10
5
10
Notes:
1) Each code range is approximately
double the previous range
2) One code change could be 1
particle or ~4X the number of
particles
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Particle Counting / Reporting
• Measured by laser or white light scatter counter
• Counts the number of particles by estimated size
• 4406:99 - Standard for particle count reporting
• Numbers reported by size ranges –
o Equal to or larger than 4 microns (≥4µm per ml)
o Equal to or larger than 6 microns (≥ 6µm per ml)
o Equal to or larger than 14 microns (≥ 14µm per ml)
• Reporting format: 19 / 17 / 14
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Wind Turbine Trial
1) Gearboxes with history of oil analysis
2) Serial sampling after installation of FilterMags
(1 Pair – FilterMag XT8 with 5µm Hydac filter)
3) ISO 4406 particle counts
(Baseline, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months)
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0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
≥4µ
≥6µ
≥14µ
Before
FilterMag
A;er
FilterMag
Turbine A – Before & After
89% Reduction
88% Reduction
77% Reduction
Wind Turbine Trial
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0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
≥4µ
≥6µ
≥14µ
Before
FilterMag
A;er
FilterMag
86% Reduction
88% Reduction
90% Reduction
Wind Turbine Trial
Turbine A – Before & After
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0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
≥4µ
≥6µ
≥14µ
Before
FilterMag
A;er
FilterMag
39% Reduction
47% Reduction
51% Reduction
Wind Turbine Trial
Turbine A – Before & After
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Magnetic Filtration Benefits
1) Help achieve target cleanliness codes
(Extend normal life cycles)
2) Capture small ferrous particles as they are made
(Slow down failure progression)
(Extend Prediction – Failure interval)
(Allows time to find and repair before failure)
(Mitigate collateral damage – save other bearings)
3) Combined with on-condition monitoring
(Significant cost savings)
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How to Determine the OpEx ROI of Investing
in a Drive Train Monitoring Solution
Assumptions
• Failure
• Repair can be made up-tower
• Generalized costs for power,
man hours, crane cost, and
CBM cost
Catastrophic failure: (ReacƟve)
Lost producƟon (assuming 30 days, $60/MWh, wind data from SCADA), 700 MWh:... $42,000
Man hours for technicians to clean turbine (100 @ $60/hr.): ........................................ $6,000
Man hours to replace gearbox (100 @ $60/hr.): ........................................................... $6,000
Crane rental: ........................................................................................................... $120,000
Replacement gearbox: ............................................................................................. $250,000
Total:........................................................................................................................ $424,000
Up-tower bearing replacement: (prevenƟve)
Lost producƟon (2 weeks of curtailment @ 60% of capacity, assuming full wind): .........$8,400
Lost producƟon (3 days during bearing replacement): ......................................................... $0
Man hours to replace HSS bearing: 32 @ $60/hr.:..........................................................$1,920
Cost of CBM system per turbine (assuming 50 turbine site): .........................................$7,000
Cost of replacement bearing: ......................................................................................$20,000
Total:...........................................................................................................................$45,720
Cost Savings – Repair vs Replace
[Source: NREL]
68. #WindWebinar
• With 3 gearbox
saves = 230%
• Saved well over
$1,000,000 by the
time you’re at 4
gearboxes.
ROI for 50 Turbine Site with One Gearbox
= ROI
cost savings – (cost of CBM x # turbines)
cost of CBM x # turbines)
Case Study Cost Comparison of ReacƟve vs. PredicƟve Maintenance
Cost for up-tower high speed shaŌ bearing replacements (4): ...................................$182,880
*Cost for replacing 4 gearboxes individually: ..........................................................$1,424,000
Man hours to replace gearbox (100 @ $60/hr.): .................................................$24,000
Crane rental:.....................................................................................................$400,000
Replacement gearboxes: ...............................................................................$1,000,000
EsƟmated Cost Savings...........................................................................................$1,237,280
$371,280 – ($7000 x 50)
$7000 x 50)
= ROI
Cost Savings – Repair vs Replace
[Source: NREL]
69. #WindWebinar
Michelle Froese
Moderator
Windpower Engineering
& Development
mfroese@wtwhmedia.com
Randy Yount
Vice President
FilterMag
rnyount@filtermag.com
Doug Viner
Mechanical Engineer
Upwind Solutions
doug.viner@upwindsolutions.com
Reducing OpEx with Engineered Parts – Gearbox Life Extension
Questions?
70. #WindWebinar
Thank You
q This webinar will be available at
www.windpowerengineering.com & email
q Tweet with hashtag #WindWebinar
q Connect with Windpower Engineering & Development
q Discuss this on EngineeringExchange.com