Showcasing new services, TÜV SÜD demonstrates at WindEurope 2019 that further optimisation of the safe harnessing of wind power is possible. TÜV SÜD's presence at the conference and exhibition focuses on assessments and inspections for the lifetime extension and site-specific certification of wind-turbine generators (WTGs) and the certification of floating foundations for offshore wind turbines. WindEurope 2019 will take place in Bilbao from 2 to 4 April 2019. (Hall1, Stand C46)
When the design life of a wind turbine generator approaches its end, the operator must decide whether to dismantle, modernise or continue to operate the turbine. Assessment and examination of the lifetime extension shows whether a WTG or wind farm is suitable for continued operation. “The lifetime assessment looks at various aspects, including the loads and stresses to which a wind turbine has been exposed throughout its service life up to that point”, says Dr Martin Webhofer, Head of Wind Energy at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. To do so, the assessment uses computer simulations which take into account the design conditions according to type certification and the specific conditions at the site of the turbine’s operation. On top of this, the wind-energy experts perform an on-site inspection of the WTG to assess its state of repair. The results are documented in an expert report that informs the operator about the conditions under which extension of the WTG service life is possible. “The expert report also enables a clear assessment to be made of the efforts and costs involved in life extension”, explains Webhofer, and provides operators with a detailed report about the state of repair of their WTGs. Transparently outlining the risks and opportunities involved in continued operation, this report establishes a sound basis for decision-making.
Wind-farm profitability can be significantly improved by adjusting the design of a turbine to reflect the conditions prevailing at its site of operation. Such adjustment may concern the design of the tower and the foundation, the turbine control system or the rotor and nacelle, without compromising on the advantages of platform design. TÜV SÜD's Site Specific Design Certificate now offers manufacturers and project developers the opportunity to verify that their optimised turbines are ideally suited to a certain site. Certification is based on design examination of the platform certificate and includes additional site-specific factors. Using the computation methods that have been continually improved and further developed by TÜV SÜD and the company’s experience from 30 years of involvement in wind energy, the site-specific design certificate can be aligned to the specific situation at a site or to a call for tender right from the stage of the wind-farm tendering process, and provided on time.
Using floating foundations, offshore wind turbines can also be realised in deepwater areas. In a pilot project, TÜV SÜD has further improved its certification of floating foundations to ensure the safe and reliable use of this innovative support structure. The pilot project of an industrial consortium under the leadership of Spanish engineering and consulting firm ESTEYCO combines a floating foundation and a telescopic tower. During sea transport, the foundation acts as a floating barge and the telescopic tower is retracted to ensure stability. The pilot project is a pre-stage of the development of floating foundations, which involve a floating structure that is ballasted to rest on the seabed and support the WTG. During installation, the foundation is lowered to the seabed and the telescopic tower extended. “This technology offers a far more cost-effective solution for realising offshore WTGs”, says Florian Singer, Project Manager at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. “Firstly, the entire structure can be assembled from pre-cast parts in the dry dock, and secondly, transport and installation can be effected without the costly use of special installation vessels and cranes.
TÜV SÜD has developed a database-supported IT solution for WTG inspection, assessment of the state of repair and evaluation of the inspection results. The fully digital inspection combines efficient inspection processes with well-structured data collection. The solution is undergoing continual further development and improvement. As the next step, TÜV SÜD plans to give operators access to interactive defect statistics for their wind turbines.
TÜV SÜD is a certification body for offshore wind farms approved by the German Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie, BSH). It holds accreditation as a certification body for onshore and offshore wind turbines and their components, and as a testing laboratory for the measurement of wind resources, turbulence and energy yield. TÜV SÜD's experts have extensive experience in all types of inspections, expert reports and certifications required within the scope of international wind power projects. www.tuv-sud.com/windenergy
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Press-contact: Dr Thomas Oberst
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