The Fraunhofer IWES is building an oil sensor test stand in Bremerhaven, in order to better suit oil sensors to requirements of wind farm operators.
Wind turbines are being increasingly equipped with oil sensors, which monitor the condition of the gearboxes. So called oil condition monitoring is based on sensors detecting existing damage through the ageing condition of gearbox oil and then reporting this to operators before the component breaks down. To achieve this, oil sensors are required, which detect reliably so that false reports, leading to unnecessary and costly maintenance operations, can be avoided.
“The operational conditions in gearbox oil-circuits for varying installation environments can be simulated here,“ explains Dr. Claus Kupferschmidt, leader of the entire DegradO project at IWES .
“Furthermore, degrees of gearbox oil ageing under changing operational conditions and with regard to contaminating pollutants such as wear debris, water and dust can also be simulated,“ continues Kupferschmidt . The focus of the tests are reliability, measuring accuracy and oil sensor operational capability under the effects of influences such as particles, water or air in the oil. The aim of the project is to provide standardized oil sensor testing for industry.
IWES project partners are the Institute of Machine and Vehicle Technology at the TU Munich which carry out oil ageing, the Zahnräder und Getriebe GmbH (ZG) which are constructing the test stand and the Bremen Institute of Measurement Technology, Automation and Quality Science (BIMAQ).
It is expected that the oil test stand will be completed in the IWES “Technical Laboratory” in September. The first tests on oil sensors made by various producers will then be carried out.
[mappress]
Press release, February 10, 2014; Image: HUSUM Wind | Messe Husum & Congress