Summary of the technology
At present, and since the introduction of wind turbine parks high altitude, it is difficult to clean the outside of the towers and wind turbine blades with traditional systems.
For reasons of typical maintenance tasks, often occur spills of fluids and lubricants transmissions machinery transforming the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy which is sent to the network. These fluids to spill soiled the wind turbine tower.
On the other hand, it must undertake periodical cleaning of wind turbine blades on them because remains of insects that collide with the blades are. These remains make the blade is losing its effectiveness.
Furthermore periodic revision is necessary due to fatigue that are subjected to wind turbine blades forcing periodic visual inspections to prevent breakage thereof and therefore stopping the wind turbine.
Researchers at the University of Burgos have developed a solution that perform such tasks without being necessary that operators should climb the tower of the wind turbine.
New and innovative aspects
In general, the systems currently used for exterior cleaning of wind turbine towers and blades often use similar systems to cleaning windows on the facades of buildings. It means operators have to hang from the gondola and turbine hub and manually clean both the blade and the tower.
The system has been patented, is a climbing system with the tools necessary for cleaning and rinsing of the towers and blades, and the collection of soapy water as waste fluid after cleaning. The location of the mechanism minicameras allows visual inspection in detail all of the blades as welds towers.
It is not necessary that any operator would have to rise to the climbing system for cleaning functions.
Main advantages of its use
- The main advantage of the system is that it don’t requires personnel to do the tasks of cleaning, so the need for people exposed to work at heights and possible risks of fall is eliminated.
- Personnel performing maintenance and inspection of the wind turbine is limited to the assembly of the mechanism on land as well as government and subsequent control automation mechanisms governing cleaning and inspection.
Specifications
The mechanism is designed for wind turbine towers and blades powerful that require large blades and high-rise towers.
The movement of opening and closing of both belts climbing mechanism supports its use for different ranges of maximum / minimum diameters tower, being able to increase the size of the mechanism by increasing the size of the sides that make up both upper and lower or belts increasing number of sides of the polygon that make up both belts.
Applications
Maintenance companies large wind turbines (cleaning, painting and inspection of towers and blades)
Intellectual property status
Protected by patent P201100665.
Current development status
It has not developed a full-scale prototype of the mechanism.
Desired business relationship
Commercial agreement, License agreement, Technical cooperation: further development, Technical Cooperation: testing of new applications; Technical cooperation: adaptation to specific neds.
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