Wind Turbines
General Information
- Description
- Competence
- Technology
- Service
Competence in all phases of wind power projects
More than 30 years of wind power experience
Since 1980, the focus has been on developing competitive wind turbines. From the first 22-kW wind turbine up to the MW range turbines of today, the products have helped harnessing the power of wind.
Secure development requires specialist knowledge, and no other wind turbine manufacturer can match the specialist knowledge of Siemens Wind Power. Based on more than 30 years of continuous presence in the wind industry, we offer the best-skilled management and engineering staff – and the designs of any new product combine the accumulated experience of all the previous turbines with the latest advances in the fields of aerodynamics, structural dynamics, noise reduction and grid performance. The result is a reputation for high quality, logical and solid design and creative details that was founded with the first 22-kW turbines of 1980 and has continuously been increased since then. A reputation that is well-deserved by the MW range "workhorses" of today.The most important resource of Siemens Wind Power is undoubtedly the more than 8,000 employees - their experience, technical know-how and enthusiasm. An experienced management team vouches for continuity and confidence. We offer a unique mix of experience and innovation, wisdom and vision. A mix that makes Siemens Wind Power a reliable supplier and a dependable partner.
High-quality project management
The large-scale wind power plants developed in recent years require significant project management know-how in order to be completed successfully. Siemens has extensive experience in this field and has, by the timely completion of hundreds of wind power plants, including the challenging offshore wind power plants, proven itself as a competent supplier of large, complicated projects.
Visual Optimization
Siemens Rotor Sync is an add-on feature to the Siemens Park Controller (SPC), which performs the regulation of turbines at wind farm level. The most important functions of the SPC are power control and voltage control. With the introduction of Siemens Rotor Sync, the SPC can now also utilize information about the rotation speed and rotor angle position of the individual turbines. Based on this input, each turbine’s rotation speed is adjusted to reach a state of synchronous rotation in order to create an atmosphere of elegance and harmony.
As Siemens wind turbines on an average basis are running with the same rotor speed from 7-8 m/s and above, only small adjustments to the speed reference is needed to keep the turbines in sync. The small adjustments are insignificant with respect to loads and power production. If synchronization is required at lower wind speeds, small reductions in energy output will occur, but such reductions are normally marginal compared with the total energy output.
A demonstration video of a synchronous wind farm versus a non-synchronous farm can be seen here.
Blades
IntegralBlade® - A key technology unique to the wind industry
All blades for Siemens wind turbine platforms with power ratings from 1.3 to 6.0 MW, and rotor diameters from 62 to 154 meters, are manufactured using the patented IntegralBlade® technology. The blades are made from fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin, and their external design represents state-of-the-art wind turbine aerodynamics.
The IntegralBlade® technology invented by Siemens Wind Power allows the manufacture of single-piece wind turbine blades in a closed process. The fiberglass reinforcement is laid out to dry using a special molding arrangement with a closed outer mold and an expanding inner mold.
After completion of the fiberglass lamination process, the epoxy resin is injected under vacuum conditions. Then the blade, which is still enclosed in the mold, is hardened at high temperature. Finally, the blade is removed from the outer mold after the epoxy resin has hardened. The inner mold is collapsed with a vacuum and pulled from the blade. The result is a complete, seamless blade finished in a single process. A truly integrated success.
Lightning Protection System
Shielding wind turbines against lightning
Protecting the entire wind turbine, the Siemens lightning protection system has helped avoid lightning strike related failures for decades.
The Siemens lightning protection system is designed to help protect wind turbines from the effects of direct and nearby strikes. Based on more than 30 years of wind power experience, the Siemens lightning protection system has shown excellent performance in wind turbine applications all over the world.
The lightning protection system is designed to help protect against lightning strikes in several ways. All main components including the nacelle, blades, controller and tower have extensive lightning protection integrated into their design.
Aeroelastically tailored blade
The energy output of a wind turbine is dependent on the rotor size. With larger rotor sizes, higher production can be obtained. However, a bigger rotor traditionally increases the loads on the wind turbine, which calls for larger and heavier structural components. Siemens new aeroelastically tailored blade changes that.
The newly developed blade design couples controlled torsional twisting of the blade with aerodynamic loading. This ultimately provides improved performance at low wind speeds due to the larger rotor, and optimal load characteristics at all wind speeds.
The secret behind the aeroelastically tailored blade is to be found in the intelligent design work, which added a bend-twist-coupling within the blade, resulting in the blade reducing the loads on the turbine.
The new blade will instantly adjust the blade’s angle of attack created by wind gusts. This minimizes the stress on the turbine, whereas the pitch and turbine control system handles the slower variations in the wind speed for optimal operation. These properties represent major advances in blade performance and design.
High Wind Ride Through
The Siemens High Wind Ride Through application allows a wind turbine to operate at some storm-level wind speeds and is a breakthrough in stabilizing energy output.
High Wind Ride Through is an intelligent solution for both onshore and offshore wind turbines that enables more stable energy production.
When the wind speed is higher than 25 meters per second, wind turbines typically shut down in order to avoid overload due to extreme loads. Equipped with High Wind Ride Through, the wind turbine will gradually reduce power output instead of shutting down completely. This results in a more stable power output at high wind speeds.
As a result, the operating range of the wind turbine at high wind speeds is extended, while remaining load neutral. The wind turbine becomes more grid-friendly, as the amount of energy fed into the grid becomes more stable and predictable.
Bolted Steel Shell Tower
Higher towers significantly increase the energy yield of a wind turbine generator on sites with a high wind shear. At the same time, they pose considerable challenges in terms of transportability and costs. Siemens offers an innovative and economically viable tower concept to allow its wind turbines reach heights above 100 m.
The Bolted Steel Shell Tower consists of multiple tower sections, mounted on top of each other. Each section is made out of steel shells which are assembled together on site.
The steel shells are produced from bended steel plates and can be transported to site with standard trucks. They are bolted together with HRC (tension-controlled) bolts to form a tower section. The modular space concept of the Bolted Steel Shell Tower allows for very high hub heights (in excess of 140 m) with very low transportation requirements.
Turbine Load Control 2.0 (TLC®)
Siemens Turbine Load Control 2.0 (TLC®) actively controls the wind turbine loading based on real time operating conditions to maximize the annual energy production over the life of the wind power plant.
TLC® is an intelligent turbine control system which dynamically controls the wind turbine based on real time wind conditions allowing it to operate with only marginal or moderate reduction in power output in high load conditions.
When Siemens wind turbines are equipped with TLC®, some projects can utilize larger rotor diameters and help maximize the annual energy production without exceeding loads, and without the grid instability introduced by traditional sector management systems.
With traditional sector management, wind turbines will typically shut down at predefined conditions, such as occasional strong wind from certain directions. TLC® intelligently alters the control settings in accordance with the wind conditions and keeps the wind turbines in operation while remaining load neutral.
A reliable product and a well-run service organization help to ensure that wind turbines are a good investment. In addition to their strong and reliable basic construction, all Siemens turbines are accompanied by a comprehensive guarantee. This ensures that the customers know that their turbine will provide the best possible operational reliability both during the guarantee period and beyond.
Wind Turbine SWT-2.3-93
- Description
- Technical Specification
- Design
The SWT-2.3-93 wind turbine is a variable-speed version of the standard SWT-2.3-82, a preferred solution for utilities and other large developers. The SWT-2.3-93 version has a larger rotor and provides superior economy at sites with moderate average wind speeds.
Rotor
The rotor of the SWT-2.3-93 turbine is a three-blade cantilevered construction, mounted upwind of the tower. The power output is controlled by pitch regulation.
Blades
The blades are made of fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin and are manufactured by Siemens in a single operation, using our patented IntegralBlade® process. No glue joints between spars and shells, no weak points, no easy access for water or lightning. The aerodynamic design of the blades represents state-of-the-art wind turbine technology, and the blades have been thoroughly tested at Siemens' test site under both static and dynamic loadings. The blades are mounted on pitch bearings and can be feathered 80 degrees for shutdown purposes. Each blade has its own independent fail-safe pitching mechanism capable of feathering the blade under any operating condition, and allowing fine-tuning to maximize power output.
Gearbox and Brake
The gearbox is a custom-built three-stage planetary-helical design, mounted on the nacelle with flexible rubber bushings, thereby providing a compact high-performance construction and the lowest possible noise level. The gearbox is fitted with a fail-safe mechanical brake at the high-speed shaft.
Generator
The generator rotor construction and stator windings are specially designed for high efficiency at partial loads. The generator is fitted with a separate thermostat-controlled ventilation arrangement, and by ensuring a very efficient cooling, the generator can be operated at temperatures well below the normal level of the standard insulation class, thereby providing the best possible lifetime of the winding insulation.
Tower
The SWT-2.3-93 turbine is mounted on a tapered tubular steel tower. The tower has internal ascent and direct access to the yaw system and nacelle.
Controller
The turbine controller is a microprocessor-based industrial controller, similar to the type used in other Siemens wind turbines. The controller is complete with switchgear and protection devices. It is self-diagnosing and has a keyboard and display for easy readout of status and for adjustment of settings.
Operation
The wind turbine operates automatically, self-starting when the wind reaches an average speed of about 3–5 m/s. The output increases approximately linearly with the wind speed until the wind reaches 13–14 m/s. At that point, the power is regulated at rated power. If the average wind speed exceeds the maximum operational limit of 25 m/s, the turbine is shut down by feathering of the blades. When the wind drops back below the restart speed, the safety systems reset automatically.
Safety System
The turbine has several redundant levels in the safety system, including an independent pitch system for each of the blades, and as a result, the turbine can shut down safely from any operational condition.
Remote Control
The turbine is equipped with the unique WebWPS SCADA system. The system offers long-distance control and a variety of status views and useful reports from a standard internet web browser.
Grid Compliance
The SWT-2.3-93 turbine is fitted with our proprietary NetConverter® system that is compliant with even very demanding grid codes. The NetConverter® system has ride-through capability for all normal faults.
Rotor
| Type | 3-bladed, horizontal axis |
| Position | Upwind |
| Diameter | 93 m |
| Swept area | 6,800 m² |
| Rotor speed | 6-16 rpm |
| Power regulation | Pitch regulation |
| Rotor tilt | 6 degrees |
Blades
| Type | Self-supporting |
| Blade length | 45 m |
| Tip chord | 0.8 m |
| Root chord | 3.5 m |
| Aerodynamic profile | NACA 63.xxx, FFAxxx |
| Material | GRE |
| Surface gloss | Semi-matt, <30/ ISO 2813 |
| Surface color | Light grey, RAL 7035 |
Aerodynamic Brake
| Type | Full span pitching |
| Activation | Active, hydraulic |
Load Supporting Parts
| Hub | Nodular cast iron |
| Main bearings | Spherical roller bearing |
| Transmission shaft | Alloy steel |
| Nacelle bedplate | Steel |
Transmission System
| Coupling hub - shaft | Flange |
| Coupling shaft - gearbox | Shrink disc |
| Gearbox type | 3-stage planetary-helical |
| Gearbox ratio | 1:91 |
| Gearbox lubrication | Splash / forced lubrication |
| Oil volume | Approx. 400 l |
| Gearbox cooling | Separate oil cooler |
| Gearbox designation | PEAB 4456 |
| Gearbox manufacturer | Winergy AG |
| Coupling gear - generator | Double flexible coupling |
Mechanical Brake
| Type | Hydraulic disc brake |
| Position | High-speed shaft |
| Number of calipers | 2 |
Canopy
| Type | Asynchronous |
| Nominal power | 2,300 kW |
| Synchronous speed | 1,500 rpm |
| Voltage | 690 V |
| Frequency | 50 Hz |
| Protection | IP54 |
| Cooling | Integrated heat exchanger |
| Insulation class | F |
| Generator designation | AMA 500L4 BAYH |
Canopy
| Type | Totally enclosed |
| Material | Steel |
Yaw system
| Type | Active |
| Yaw bearing | Externally geared slew ring |
| Yaw drive | Eight electrical gear motors |
| Yaw brake | Passive friction brake |
Controller
| Type | Microprocessor |
| SCADA system | WPS via modem |
| Controller designation | KK WTC 3.0 |
Tower
| Type | Cylindrical or tapered tubular steel tower |
| Hub heights | 80 m or site-specific |
| Corrosion protection | Painted |
| Surface gloss | Semi gloss, 30-50 / ISO 2813 |
| Surface color | Light grey, RAL 7035 |
Operational data
| Cut-in wind speed | 4 m/s |
| Nominal power at approx. | 13-14 m/s |
| Cut-out wind speed | 25 m/s |
| Maximum 2 s gust | 55 m/s (standard version) 59.5 m/s (special version) |
Masses (approximate)
| Rotor | 60 t |
| Nacelle excl. rotor | 82 t |
| Tower (80 m) | 162 t |
Nacelle Arrangement
| 1 Spinner | 11 Generator |
| 2 Spinner bracket | 12 Service crane |
| 3 Blade | 13 Meteorological sensors |
| 4 Pitch bearing | 14 Tower |
| 5 Rotor hub | 15 Yaw ring |
| 6 Main bearing | 16 Yaw gear |
| 7 Main shaft | 17 Nacelle bedplate |
| 8 Gearbox | 18 Oil filter |
| 9 Brake disc | 19 Canopy |
| 10 Coupling | 20 Generator fan |