These analytics perform diagnostics on the electrical drivetrain. Key performance indicators are continuously monitored, providing the wind park operator with visibility of the generator, converter and transformer. Analysis of the acquired data also forms the basis for ABB’s new remote support services. ABB Ability
TM Condition Monitoring with data visualization is already available and has been deployed by a leading wind power asset owner.
Further services - remote assistance and predictive maintenance - harness the combination of cloud computing, machine learning and ABB’s know-how to enable highly targeted maintenance actions before any problems can occur. This gives operators better availability, longer process uptime, and peace of mind.
Using the new remote services, wind park operators can switch from corrective and preventive maintenance programs to proactive O&M strategies. This will deliver savings in maintenance, crane ships and man-hours, and increase turbine uptime. Lower costs will help reduce the wind parks’ levelized cost of energy (LCOE) - a measure that enables the value of different electricity generation resources to be compared.
Better turbine uptime will become extremely important in future. Higher turbine ratings, particularly offshore, will mean that wind parks will use fewer turbines to generate the same amount of energy. Reliability and availability of these big turbines are essential – unscheduled downtime in a turbine will have a significant impact on power generation, revenue and profitability. Furthermore, the giant turbines will be installed far offshore, making O&M extremely challenging and expensive. By enabling condition based maintenance and greater predictability, digitalization can help to increase energy yield and reduce costs.
Here is an example of how the ABB Ability services work. If the algorithms in the cloud platform detect that a turbine is developing a defect, the operator can take action to protect the turbine and the wind park’s output. They can activate power prioritization mode and the defective turbine is operated in a reduced run mode. This helps to avoid excessive stress and accelerated component wear. At the same time, the wind park can balance active and reactive power to continue stable operation. It will continue to meet grid code requirements and generate revenue, while maintenance is planned to remedy the defective turbine with minimum downtime and maximum safety.