Introduction
Steps To Build A Real-Life Wind Turbine
Have you ever wondered what complex steps are there to build wind turbines?
How much time, capital, labor?
Which fields of expertise necessary?
In this article, you will explore a simplified summary of the mega steps to build a real-life wind turbine farm. Learn the basic language of wind energy and get an insight into how its massive projects unfold.
Before You Build A Wind Turbine,
First Things First:
Although wind technology is profitable, the planning of a huge wind project requires precise estimation of costs and sharp adaptability to unpredictable incidents.
In a market that is under material cost pressures, it is necessary to estimate the costs of production, transportation, and installation of a machine that doesn’t exist yet. And, at the same time, to make sure this machine can be built for less than the price it will bring.
The planning phase needs multiple factors, which include:
Site Selection & Planning For A Wind Turbine
- Wind resource assessment:
To measure wind speeds over 1–2 years with the use of anemometers, meteorological masts, or LiDAR.
Typically, the recommended annual average wind speed for a location is 6 meters per second (13 mph). - Grid connection study:
To make sure that the transmission lines of the grid can transport the energy generated from the wind turbine to the customer.
”No two countries or regions have identical grid issues, and you will want a product (wind turbine) that interfaces well with all of them.” - Environmental & social studies:
To protect the wildlife, reduce the noise and the visual impact, and to comply with local regulations. - Land acquisition & permits:
To find land that is suitable for the wind farm project, considering wind conditions, terrain, spacing, noise, shadow effects, and environmental impact. Then, to acquire the land through legal agreements with local governments and landowners.
Components Of A Wind Turbine
(Source: ResearchGate & WBDG)
- Blades:
The blades change wind energy into rotation. Each blade is made of fiberglass, carbon fiber, or other composite material, to guarantee high strength and low weight. The manufacturer makes each blade in a large mold with a resin infusion process. The blade shape gives good aerodynamic performance and structural strength. - Hub:
The hub connects the blades to the main shaft. It sends torque from the blades to the nacelle. The hub is made of cast steel or ductile iron. These materials make it strong and reliable. The hub contains the pitch system. The pitch system changes the blade angle to control power and rotor speed. - Nacelle:
The nacelle is the box on top of the tower. It contains the parts that change rotation into electricity. The main parts are:- Low-speed shaft:
The low-speed shaft connects the hub to the gearbox. It transfers slow rotor motion to the gearbox input. - Brake:
The brake stops the rotor in an emergency or during maintenance. It keeps the turbine in a safe condition. - Gearbox:
The gearbox increases the rotation speed from the low-speed shaft to the high-speed shaft. It helps the generator work at correct speed. - Yaw system:
The yaw system turns the nacelle to face the wind. It keeps the turbine in the best wind direction. - High-speed shaft:
The high-speed shaft connects the gearbox to the generator. It transfers fast rotation to the generator input. - Generator:
The generator changes mechanical energy from the high-speed shaft into electrical energy. - Controller:
The controller operates the turbine automatically. It monitors data and sends commands to other systems. - Anemometer and windvane:
The anemometer measures wind speed. The windvane measures wind direction. The controller uses these signals to adjust the yaw and blade pitch. - Cooling system:
The cooling system removes heat from the generator and gearbox. It keeps all parts within safe temperature limits.
- Low-speed shaft:
- Tower:
The tower keeps the nacelle and rotor elevated above the ground, to provide stronger and more stable wind. The tower is made of steel sections. Workers bolt or weld these sections together at the site. The tower resists high loads from wind and rotor motion. Offshore towers stand on monopiles for shallow water, jackets for medium depth, or floating platforms for deep water. - Transformer:
The transformer increases the voltage from the generator. High voltage gives efficient power transfer to the grid. The transformer can be inside the nacelle, at the tower base, or in a nearby housing. - Foundation:
The foundation holds the turbine to the ground. It supports the total weight of the turbine. It is a large block of reinforced concrete, sometimes with steel parts. It spreads loads from the tower and nacelle into the soil or seabed. The foundation resists strong forces from wind, torque, and vibration.
Design & Engineering Of A Wind Turbine
The main design considerations of a wind turbine are typically:
- Rated power output: Most modern turbines have a rated power output of 2–6 MW onshore and 8–15 MW offshore.
This is the maixmum eletrical capacity the turbine can generate under ideal wind conditions. Informally, the rated power output is also known as ”turbine size”. - Blade length: 40–120 meters (longer = more power, but harder to transport).
- Tower height: 80–150 meters for onshore; 100–200 meters offshore.
- Generator system:
- Direct drive (no gearbox, low maintenance). The rotor is connected directly to a generator.
- Gearbox drive (lighter generator, more complex). There is a gearbox that connects the rotor to the generator. The purpose of this gearbox is to make the generator spin faster, even when the wind is slow.
In addition, the design of a wind turbine includes these stages:
Manufacturing Process Of A Wind Turbine
Blades
According to this guide from Iberdrola, the typical steps of the fabrication of the blade of a wind turbine are:
- Layer placement. This is the most labor-intensive step. Skilled technicians carefully position each layer of fiberglass and carbon fiber, one by one, to shape the blade’s form.
- Resin infusion. Once the fabric is in place, resin is vacuum-infused through the layers. This step is partially automated, but it still needs close attention to get the mix just right.
- Curing. The entire blade is heated so the resin hardens and bonds the materials into a single, rock-solid structure.
- Assembly and bonding. Each blade is made in two halves. Workers manually glue them together with powerful epoxy adhesives.
- Finishing and inspection. Finally, technicians sand, polish, and inspect every inch by hand. They make sure each blade is perfectly balanced and aerodynamically smooth.
Nacelle
The typical manufacturing of the nacelle includes these steps:
- Fabricate the nacelle frame. The frame is typically made from welded steel or cast iron.
- Assemble the nacelle frame and mount the main components on the frame. These components include the gearbox, generator, and main shaft.
- Install the electrical and control systems after you mount the main components.
- Attach the nacelle cover when all internal components are in place. Use lightweight fiberglass-reinforced plastic or composite panels for the cover. The cover protects the components and gives the nacelle an aerodynamic shape.
Tower
The typical manufacturing of the tower includes these steps:
- Fabricate cylindrical steel sections called tower segments.
- Weld and roll each segment to the required diameter.
- Inspect and paint the tower segments, to prevent corrosion.
- Transport the tower segments to the site. Align and bolt them together vertically on the foundation.
- Secure all joints and internal components.
Transportation, Construction
& Installation Of A Wind Turbine
Blades, nacelles, and tower sections are oversized loads. To transport these oversized loads to the construction site, it is necessary to use special transportation such as cranes (onshore), ships (offshore), and special trailers. Therefore, it is critical to correctly plan the route of transportation, to avoid accidents on the roads, bridges, tunnels.
- Foundation
- Onshore: Reinforced concrete base (can be 15–20 m diameter, 2–4 m deep).
- Offshore: Monopiles driven into seabed or floating platforms anchored with mooring lines.
- Tower erection
- Steel sections lifted and bolted together with massive cranes.
- Nacelle installation
- Lifted and secured on top of the tower.
- Blade installation
- Blades attached individually or as a pre-assembled rotor.
- Electrical connection
- Cables run down the tower to transformers and the grid.
- Commissioning
- Tests of the safety systems, yaw alignment, and electrical synchronization with the grid.
- Setup of the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), for remote monitoring.
Operation & Maintenance Of A Wind Farm
Typically, wind turbines are in operation for more than 25 years.
To maximize performance and minimize downtime, it is necessary to enforce safety and reduce the risk of failure, through regular maintenance protocols:
Preventine Maintenance
For example, Endiprev is a global engineering service provider specializing in wind energy. They provide the preventive maintenance services that follow:
- ”Break-in Maintenance
- First complete maintenance after the Commissioning (includes every area of the wind turbine)
- Torqueing and Tensioning
- Foundation bolts
- Tower segment bolt connections
- Yaw bearing
- Nacelle structure
- Rotor bearing
- Blades
- Battery Inspection and Replacement
- Pitch and UPS batteries
- Checks and Alignments
- Check metal components for lost paint protection and corrosion
- Generator alignment
- Wind vane alignment
- Nitrogen pressure accumulators’ inspection, calibration, and recharge
- Fire detection system inspection, calibration, and recharge
- Pressure relief valves inspection and replacement
- Blade pitch angle alignment
- Cleaning and Visual Inspections
- Inspect all components to check their status (dirt, wear, corrosion, cracks, loose parts, etc.)
- Tasks in every operation
- Clean everything, such as grease, oil, cooling fluid, dust, rags, old components
- Treat waste in accordance with each customer’s procedures and the type of waste
- Reporting with media resources of the work performed. ”
Corrective Maintenance
Wind turbines are subject to massive forces of nature, and can go into failure or accidents. That is when corrective maintenance is necessary, for urgent repair of components. Or for “retrofits” which are additions/upgrades to improve performance, safety, or extend their operational life. Lastly, for replacement of components.
Corrective maintenance can include:
- ”Troubleshooting
- Problem identification and definition of the plan for its correction
- Correction of identified errors and failures
- Retrofits
- Electrical and mechanical retrofits
- Extension of the wind turbine lifespan
- Major Corrective Operations
- Blade replacement
- Generator replacement
- Gearbox replacement
- Replacement of the main shaft
- Replacement of transformer and switchgear
- Replacement of rings and bearings of the generator and gearbox. ”
Remote Control
The sensors on the wind turbine collect data, such as wind speed, blade angle, rotor speed, temperature, and power output. This data is sent to a computer system in real time, with the use of the internet, wireless networks, or satellites. The computer systems generates daily reports.
wind turbine performance, energy production and associated costs.
This makes it possible to monitor the wind turbine, get alerts when errors occur or are predicted to occur, and make changes from a distance. For example, to remotely start or stop the turbine, adjust the blades, or control the speed.
The operation and maintenance manuals document procedures, safety measures, and technical specifications, and more necessary information for the optimal performance for the wind turbine.
Conclusion
- The creation of a wind farm is the result of the collaboration between multidisciplinary teams, encompassing expertise in engineering, environmental science, project management, finance, community engagement. and more.
It requires the integration of technical, ecological, social, and economic factors into a wind energy project. - According to this report from IRENA, the power generation cost for wind turbines has decreased in the last decade:
”Between 2010 and 2023, the global weighted average levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of onshore wind fell 70%, from USD 0.111/kWh to USD 0.033/kWh; 3%, year on-year. ”
The power generation cost seems to decline due to ongoing technological refinement and supply chain maturity. However, short-term cost increases can be expected, due to ”emerging geopolitical risks and Chinese manufacturing dynamics”. - According to this report from Iberdrola, the estimated time for the creation of a wind turbine is around:
”While the construction of an onshore wind farm can take between 4 and 8 years, taking into account all phases of the process, the construction of an offshore wind farm is estimated to take between 7 and 11 years. Three to five years are dedicated to the development phase, one to three to the pre-construction phase and two to four years to construction. ”
