E.ON Climate & Renewables and Romax Technology have teamed up to develop a tool to predict the remaining life of critical drivetrain components of wind turbines.
The Equivalent Operating Hours (EOH) programme provides real-time forecast updates using predictive methods that are based on advanced algorithms.
The calculations depend on various parameters, including service history, local operating conditions and the effects of transient events.
Romax contract relationship manager Nigel Parlor said without planning beforehand, maintenance of offshore wind turbines can be time consuming and costly.
"Operations typically require specialist equipment such as jack-up vessels and cranes which have to be factored into specific ‘weather windows," Parlor added.
E.ON Climate & Renewables Technology & Innovation director Jörgen Bodin said, "We hope that the project with Romax will transform wind energy operations and maintenance through more targeted and proactive activity, which in turn will improve the running cost and increase reliability."
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By GlobalDataCommenced in 2010, the EOH programme was deployed on one of E.ON’s offshore wind farms and extended to a further two onshore and two offshore projects after testing its predictive maintenance models.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2017.
