vestas - blades o&m. blade inspection
DESCRIPTION
Introduction to Vestas blades O&M and InspectionTRANSCRIPT
Blades O&M .Blades inspection
[July 2015 FJMFE .Blade & Structural Engineering & Support
Blades Inspection Methods.
Name of presentation 2
Method Advantages H&S
Risk
Problems
Basket • Accurate
• Allows to grind and deep
investigations directly on
blade.
• Can fix problems
immediately.
HIGH • Movement of machinery, requiring
ground and roads preparation.
• Very expensive
• Very depending on wind conditions.
• Not available in several emerging
markets
Rope • Accurate. VERY
HIGH
• Requires special trainings.
• Expensive.
• Can cause blade damages.
• Very depending on wind conditions
Drone
Or
Robot
• Can be accurate enough
(Being developed)
MEDIUM • Can cause blade damages.
• Very depending on wind conditions.
• Expensive.
• In some countries requires operator
license.
• Custom problems outside EU.
Camera
from
Ground
• Can be accurate enough
• Low stop time
• Not depending on wind
conditions
• No special trainings required
VERY
LOW
Is it accurate enough?
SEE BELOW
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Blades O&M .Blades inspection 3
1. Tools
2. Method
3. Damage Categorization
4. RCA
5. Reporting
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Challenge is how to perform an effective inspection in the cheaper way, avoiding heavy machinery or specialized people, reducing stop time and ensuring correct evaluation of possible damages.
Vestas offers visual inspection from ground with the following advantages:
No surrounding ground preparation required.
Minimized stop time
No H&S risk
No blade damage risk
Damages categorization and evaluation performed by blades specialists, evaluation
includes recommended reaction time.
RCA analysis including data cross check with the whole fleet under contract and access
to production documents and R&D assessment.
Possibility of tailored solutions for special cases, copper caps, copper strips, wind share
management……
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Inspection is performed by means of:
Telescope 20x60
High definition camera, 5,184 × 3,456 (17.9 recorded megapixels)
Tele objective 100-400 mm
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1. Tools
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
High quality images are obtained, which can be magnified for better study:
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1. Tools
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
High quality images are obtained, which can be magnified for better study:
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1. Tools
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
High quality images are obtained, which can be magnified for better study:
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1. Tools
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Inspection team performs a hearing inspection, while rotor is running, searching for whistles, vibrations or any abnormal noise.
Rotor is stopped and blades put in position
Inspection by telescope is performed.
Pictures are taken and sent, together with a preliminary report, to blades specialists, “HOT LINE” for urgent cases..
Report and pictures are checked by blades specialists
Damages are categorized according to Vestas Standards
Report is sent to the customer, including recommendations about status of the turbine:
This allows to plan repairs making them coincident with other service interventions, reducing stop time and production loss.
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2. Method
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Categorization is according to a Service Inspection Instruction (Condition Monitoring of the Blades ) approved by R&D
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3. Damage Categorization.
Blade Damages Categorisation
Cosmetic.
No intervention needed.
Category 1
---
Turb
ine
Sto
p
Turb
ine in O
pera
tio
n
Similar to Cosmetic.
Intervention only done if other damages on blade.
Category 2
Damage not serious.
Intervention done during planned inspection of WTG but within 6 months.
Damage monitored at 3-month intervals. Repair time frame may be
modified by blade specialist.
Category 3
Serious damage, but no risk to WTG operation within the next 3 months.
Intervention within 3 months / at next planned WTG inspection. Damage
monitored at monthly intervals. Repair time frame may be modified by blade
specialist.
Category 4
Very serious damage.
Intervention required immediately to prevent damage to WTG, surrounding
area, or further damage to blade.
Category 5
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Damages are categorized by specialists with knowledge and experience about blades structure and production processes in several blade types:
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4. RCA.
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Damages study and categorization includes not only structural risks, but loss of production:
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4. RCA.
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
A detailed report is submitted to the customer, including: RCA, Repair Solutions and Recommendations.
It always includes pictures of all blade areas, both shells and both edges.
Pictures are stored in our served together with the report to ensure traceability.
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5. Reporting.
Vestas Blades Inspection from ground
Vestas recommends to perform, at least, a yearly inspection to keep blades in good condition.
Up to 1874 WTGs in NEU have been inspected during last 24 months; in 18 cases a closer inspection from basket has been needed to fully determine if an issue was or was not a damage.
Specials inspections are recommended too after special events as high wind, electrical storms, typhoons and so on…
Vestas offers support when facing third parties, such insurance companies, for “force majeure” damages (lightning , mechanical impacts…..).
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Currently we are inspecting blades on site
by:
• Telescope and high resolution camera
• Ultrasonic scanning
• Thermography
Blades Inspection Process and Results Maintenance improvements
Blades Inspection Process
---
Blades inspected locally
in accordance with SWI using a
high resolution camera
and telescope.
Damages evaluated and given
a damage category by the
blades engineering department.
Engineering department decide in
repair can be done, the kind of SWI to
be used and the level of technicians
needed to carry out the repair.
Damages evaluated and given
a damage category by the
blades engineering department.
Blade repair conducted,
if needed.
Technician Skills Classes
---
Class C - Cosmetic
Repairs of cosmetic damages
e.g. painting, repairs of
cosmetic scratches
Class B - Basic
Repairs of all blade damages
except structural damages
Class A - Advanced
Repairs of all complex cases
including structual damages of
spar, carbon fiber, tip shell
Advancement
4 years of Vestas Class B
experience 2 years of experience
Blade & Structural Engineering & Support
From 2009 we start a campaign of blades inspection with the main scope to
reduce serious incident and scrap blades.
Results are showed in the table below:
Damages no. of Blades % no. of Blades % no. of Blades % no. of Blades % no. of Blades %
Cat 1 645 29,3% 612 33,7% 558 38,8% 980 36,4% 1247 48,6%
Cat 2 546 24,8% 498 27,4% 456 31,7% 748 27,8% 684 26,7%
Cat 3 518 23,5% 376 20,7% 196 13,6% 615 22,8% 327 12,7%
Cat 4 313 14,2% 212 11,7% 158 11,0% 256 9,5% 216 8,4%
Cat 5 143 6,5% 87 4,8% 54 3,8% 84 3,1% 86 3,4%
Scrapp 38 1,7% 31 1,7% 15 1,0% 12 0,4% 6 0,2%
Total 2203 1816 1437 2695 2566
EVOLUTION OF DAMAGES BLADES
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Service Performance
