Sensors & Transducers


Success in wind power

June 2006 Sensors & Transducers

Wind power is the fastest growing energy sector worldwide, showing market growth of 39,5% over the last five years. Industry aims are to take a 10% share of the global electricity generating market by 2020. In Scandinavia, for example, wind power provides almost 10% of the country's electricity and the target is to reach 50% by 2030.

To keep up with these targets wind turbine technology is developing fast and average outputs are getting better year on year. Currently in the UK, the wind energy production costs are only slightly higher than natural gas. This is not only due to improved design, but also to a growing trend to deploy condition monitoring systems in their latest wind turbine designs.

Monitran have supplied many thousands of sensors for this deployment. They have been partially successful in both designing and producing a whole range of bespoke vibration sensors for use in the monitoring systems in many systems around the world, with particular achievement around many parts of Europe. These systems typically monitor the condition of drive shaft, gearbox and the drive bearings during operation. This is starting to reduce the cost of turbine ownership, coupled with the improved technology, as it reduces operational downtime and allows dynamic maintenance scheduling.

For more information contact Andy Brown, Temperature Controls, 011 791 6000, [email protected], www.tempcon.co.za



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