A Unique Solution to Generating
Electricity from the Wind.
WinDrive Technology
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Voith Turbo Wind GmbH & Co. KG is a subsidiary of
Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG. We are experts in hydrodynamic
variable-speed gearboxes for wind turbines.
Voith Turbo, the specialist for hydrodynamic drives, coupling
and braking systems for road, rail and industrial applications,
as well as for ship propulsion systems, is a Group Division of
Voith GmbH.
Voith sets standards in the energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transportation & automotive markets. Founded in
1867, Voith employs more than 42 000 people, generates
Euro 5.7 billion in sales, operates in over 50 countries around
the world and is today one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.
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A Unique Technology.
The WinDrive
With the WinDrive Technology, you employ the wind to generate
electricity reliably and in a distinctive way. The heart of the WinDrive
technology is a variable-speed hydrodynamic gearbox. The WinDrive
paves the way to generating grid-friendly electricity through proven
direct-coupled synchronous generators.
How it functions
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The unique characteristics
The WinDrive operates similar to a continuously variable
automatic transmission in an automobile
It accurately controls the variable power in the driveline of
the wind turbine
This is achieved by converting the wind turbine rotor’s
speed into a constant speed for the generator
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•
•
•
•
The WinDrive transmits a portion of the power hydrodynamically, that is, by means of a circulating fluid
Hydrodynamic power transmission is wear-free
In addition, the WinDrive dampens dynamic loads in
the driveline very effectively
A standard synchronous generator coupled directly to
the grid produces the electricity
There are no failure prone power converting electronics
in the wind turbine
Driveline of a wind turbine with WinDrive, power range 2 to 20 MW
Wind speed
Wind rotor
Variable
speed
WinDrive
Main
gearbox
WinDrive
Constant
speed
Constant
line frequency
Synchronous
generator
Feeding the grid at the medium-voltage level
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Optimizing Costs with WinDrive.
Cost of Energy
Regardless of whether developing, building, or operating wind turbines –
the common goal is to reduce the costs per kilowatt-hour generated.
WinDrive Technology helps to achieve this goal very efficiently.
Lower capital investment and operating costs in conjunction
with increased energy yield reduce the costs of generating
electricity:
CapEx + OpEx
CoE = _____________
AEP
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CoE:
CapEx:
OpEx:
AEP:
Cost of Energy
Annualized Capital Expenditure
Annualized Operational Expenditure
Annual Energy Production
Your profit
Lower the fault rate of
the wind turbine by up
to 19 %.
Operate the wind
turbine even in weak
and isolated grids
without additional
expenditures.
Extend the lifetime of
your main gearbox and
other components of
the driveline by up
to 12 %.
Lower
CoE
Satisfy all current and
future grid codes
without additional
expenditures.
Expect the lifetime of
the WinDrive to exceed
the lifetime of the wind
turbine.
Install in locations with
special requirements
without the need for
additional equipment.
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Win with WinDrive.
That Something Special
The WinDrive Technology is distinguished basically by two technical
features: hydrodynamic power transmission and the direct-coupled
synchronous generator.
WinDrive
transmits a portion of the power hydrodynamically
The synchronous generator
is coupled directly to the grid
•
The WinDrive dampens dynamic loads that occur in the
driveline under unfavorable circumstances. The causes
of these circumstances may be grid issues (short-circuits,
load rejection etc.) or strong wind gusts. By reducing
dynamic loads, you extend the lifetime of the main gearbox
and other components of the driveline by up to 12 %.
•
The wind turbine has no failure prone power conversion
electronics. This lowers the fault rate by up to 19 %.
Without sensitive power conversion electronics, the wind
turbine is suitable for almost all locations with normal or
special requirements – and this without the need for additional equipment.
•
Hydrodynamic power transmission in the WinDrive is wearfree and based on the same principle as aerodynamic
power transmission. Active control by the WinDrive takes
place only in the full-load range. This means that the
WinDrive has a long lifetime – longer than the lifetime of
the wind turbine itself. The mean time between failures
(MTBF) of all WinDrive units in operation is 25 years
(as of May 2012).
•
A standard synchronous generator coupled directly to the
grid produces grid-friendly electricity. This type of generator has a control range to accommodate the reactive
power. In addition, it stabilizes the grid in the event of a
fault. The wind turbine satisfies all current and future grid
codes – without incurring additional expenditures. With the
WinDrive installed, nothing stands in the way of coupling
the wind-powered generating plant to weak or isolated
grids.
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+12
Lifetime of the
main gearbox
percent
25
Mean time between failures
of the WinDrive (MTBF)
years
-19
Fault rate of the
wind turbine
percent
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Develop New Markets.
Differentiation
Create something new – build or operate wind turbines with a special
and proven driveline. Show customers a willingness and ability to
innovate. Voith is there to help with unparalleled expertise in the field of
drive technology.
Product differentiation
Differentiation as a competitive strategy
Want to build or operate wind turbines with exceptional drive
solutions? Looking for new solutions to develop new markets?
This is precisely why WinDrive Technology is the right fit.
Looking for ways to set a wind turbine apart from the competition? When combined with WinDrive Technology, the new
wind turbine offers unique characteristics.
Gain access to new market segments that were previously
difficult or impossible to reach. Consider special requirements
such as offshore wind turbines, challenging grid requirements,
weak or isolated grids, unusual environmental conditions, and
future wind turbines with ratings in the 20-MW range.
This differentiation puts the wind turbine manufacturer in an
enhanced sales position versus that of the competitors. By
featuring the WinDrive, the wind turbine manufacturer’s brand
becomes more resistant to the marketing activities of the
competition. Cost sensitivity is reduced while the opportunities
for higher profit increase.
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Win with WinDrive
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Clever Combination of Speeds.
How the WinDrive Functions
Two main components of the WinDrive are the technique behind
how it functions: a planetary gear combined with a hydrodynamic
torque converter.
Design
How it functions
•
The WinDrive is placed in the driveline of the wind turbine
between the main gearbox and the generator.
•
The wind rotor drives the planet carrier via the main gearbox. The planet gears drive the sun gear.
•
The planetary gear consists of the sun gear, the planet
gears and the ring gear. The planet gears are mounted on
the rotating planet carrier.
•
The sun gear drives the generator and the pump wheel of
the torque converter via the output shaft.
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•
The torque converter consists of three main components:
pump wheel, turbine wheel and adjustable guide vanes.
A sealed housing filled with hydraulic fluid holds these
components.
The pump wheel accelerates the hydraulic operating fluid,
which in turn drives the turbine wheel. The operating fluid
flows back into the pump wheel through the adjustable
guide vanes.
•
•
The pump wheel is connected to the output shaft of the
WinDrive. The turbine wheel is connected to the ring gear
of the planetary gear.
Power transmission in the torque converter is wear-free.
The position of the guide vanes determines the amount of
power transmitted.
•
The WinDrive transmits the major portion of the power directly from the wind rotor to the generator. The torque converter diverts only a small fraction of the overall power. This
diverted power is fed back to the planetary gear through
the ring gear.
•
The planetary gear combines the power from the wind
rotor with the adjustable power fed back through the
ring gear to then drive the sun gear at a constant speed.
The generator speed is therefore, also held constant.
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Basic design of the WinDrive
Ring gear
Planet gear
Fluid flow
Planet carrier
Guide vanes
Sun gear
Output shaft
Drive shaft
Pump wheel
Turbine wheel
Planetary gear
Hydrodynamic
torque converter
Pump wheel
Turbine wheel
Guide vanes
Sun gear
Planet gear
Ring gear
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Reliably Generating Electricity
from the Wind.
Highlights
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Feeding high-quality power into the grid
In the Chinese province of Gansu, the wind is strong and constant. It is the ideal location for a wind farm filled with superlatives. And the WinDrive is contributing to the wind farm’s
success. Extreme temperature swings between day and night,
between summer and winter, and even an occasional sandstorm – all of this presents challenges for technology. For the
WinDrive, these challenges are child’s play. The synchronous
generator is coupled directly to the grid and produces gridfriendly electricity from the wind.
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Harvesting the wind high in the Andes
This installation is located in Argentina at an astounding elevation of 4 200 m above sea level. It is currently the world’s
highest located wind turbine and generates electricity for
a isolated grid supplying power to a gold mine. Because there
are no sensitive power electronics, no issues with operation of
an isolated grid, and no additional components for generating
electricity in low-density air, the operator was won over by
the WinDrive Technology.
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4
Supporting weak grids
In Sweetwater, USA, lengthy transmission lines to the grid
posed challenges for competing wind technolgies. However,
thanks to the WinDrive’s ability to employ a directly coupled
synchronous generator, sufficient reactive power could be
regulated flexibly – what other technology could achieve this
in such a simple manner?
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Generating electricity from the wind in offshore conditions
Risk of corrosion from salty air, extreme loads from North
Atlantic storms, freezing rain or heavy snowfall in the winter –
this is what to expect on Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Here, too, WinDrive provides a convincing and reliable performance in the wind turbines.
Defying stifling heat and teeth-chattering cold
Hilltop, in the American Midwest has what is termed, a continental climate. This means very hot summers and extremely
cold winters. For wind turbines, these conditions are very
stressful. However, with WinDrive Technology, the wind turbine functions flawlessly. At the end of the year, the amount of
electricity generated easily met the expectations.
1 Gansu, China
2 Veladero, Argentina
3 Hilltop, USA
4 Sweetwater, USA
5 Prince Edward Island, Canada
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Achieving Common Goals.
Engineering
Not only does Voith supply quality products, but also ideas. Voith has
developed complete drivelines for over 100 years. The benefit from this
deep experience starts in the planning phase and continues on through
the design all the way to the production and implementation phases.
Drive solutions
Partnership
Voith investigates, plans, calculates, designs and builds drive
systems for customers in many market segments of industry.
Questions about a wind turbine driveline? Give us a call and
let’s discuss the possibilities together.
Drive solutions from Voith Turbo can be found in regenerative
and conventional power generation, in the oil & gas industry
or in general mechanical engineering applications. We deal
with transmitting power in the multi-megawatt range on a daily
basis – on- and offshore.
Our competences:
• Optimizing the driveline
• Simulation of the overall system
• Optimizing the wind turbine control system
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Low Operating Costs Included.
Service
Operating costs were a constant consideration during the entire development
process of the WinDrive. The objective: maximum availability in conjunction
with the lowest maintenance and repair expense.
Cost savings on the basis of these facts
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You typically service the WinDrive together with the
main gearbox without additional expenditures
The maintenance personnel need no special training or
education
The WinDrive fits a basic maintenance strategy; preventive
or condition-based maintenance is a simple matter
No overhaul is required over the lifetime of the WinDrive
Worldwide service
Questions about servicing the WinDrive? The engineers and
technicians of Voith’s worldwide service network are available.
Voith maintains sales and service facilities in all regions of
the world.
Offices worldwide
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cr355en, S&F-nlg / WA, 05.2013, 1 000. Data and illustrations without obligation. Subject to modifications.
Voith Turbo Wind GmbH & Co. KG
Voithstr. 1
74564 Crailsheim
Germany
Tel. +49 7951 32-1867
Fax +49 7321 37-138149
[email protected]
voith.com