Wind turbines are prone to vibration problems. According to research data, about 40% of all wind turbines have high vibrations which exceed the vibration limits. These vibrations cause structural loads, increased wear, adverse start-up conditions, and often a vibration-related turnoff. Most vibration problems are detected too late. The condition monitoring system, which is often used to measure vibration levels, is not always able to interpret the measured signals correctly. Downtimes can occur more often as wind turbines age.
Rotating parts of wind turbines are balanced after production. Each blade is profiled and balanced to ensure they meet balancing tolerances during operation. Balancing tolerance requirements are specified according to ISO 1940-1:2003 Standard for rigid rotors. There are two types of imbalance in wind turbine blades: Mass and aerodynamic imbalances. The mass imbalance is caused by voids and inclusions that happen during the manufacturing process, and aerodynamic imbalance is caused by shrinkage and inconsistency in mold profile that causes different blade angles and deviations of the profile geometry. Once the blades are profiled and balanced, they are installed on a blade hub, and the system is then inspected for possible parts mismatch that could add imbalance. The armature of the generator is also balanced after production. Manufacturing imperfection in laminates and coils layouts generates an imbalance in the system. Armatures are balanced on a balancing machine, which displays the amount and location of imbalances at the ends of armature. An operator would remove the laminate materials or add weights on the armature, and the process is repeated until the armature meets balancing tolerances. The process is not only time consuming and expensive, but the generator can also lose its power output. The traditional balancing method of removing materials or adding weights does not compensate for additional imbalances that occur in the field such as icing, corrosion, damage on the rotor blade, debris deposits, and many more. The wind turbine is overhauled, and the balancing process would have to be repeated. The method does not solve the vibration problems at the source, and it, in fact, acts as a band-aid! XYO is a patented mechanical balancing technology that reduces or eliminates vibration in rotating equipment. XYO could automatically balance rotating parts of wind turbines so that they produce less vibration, resulting in a more energy-efficient manner. XYO can be installed on or built into rotating parts of the wind turbine such as blade hub cone and rotor shaft. The unique feature of XYO Technology is its ability to adjust itself on the fly and is able to react quickly to changing imbalance in the system. XYO Technology does not require electronic controls. XYO would bring a solution to high maintenance and inefficient wind turbines. Benefits could be realized by implementing XYO Technology on wind turbines such as improved energy efficiency, reduced vibration, greater power output, lower maintenance costs, reduced noise emission, and less mechanical wear. Implementing XYO Technology would improve balancing precision and efficiency. Downtimes could be eliminated and the wind turbine can spin faster, thus increasing energy output. Research on implementing XYO Technology is currently underway. The investigation includes the effect of different imbalances on the power output of the generator and a feasibility study of XYO Technology on wind turbines. Modeling and simulation would help us shorten the prototyping stage. A prototype will be built to confirm the simulation results. Our goal would be to quantify the value and benefits of XYO Technology on wind turbines.
