2S4a: (20 min.) Case Study – Low speed bearing vibration monitoring application in wind turbines

Sophie Zieba, Product Manager, CETIM

Description

The onshore and offshore wind market is growing rapidly. Maintenance costs of wind energy systems are still high. Business operators are demanding solutions to reduce those costs. To address these technological challenges, an endurance test bench has been developed, reproducing the kinematics of a wind turbine on a reduced scale. This test bench was designed to create a progressive natural degradation of the main mechanical components of the drive train. Several sensors have been installed (vibration, currents, voltage, speed, temperature, forces, torques). During endurance testing, time data were recorded and analyzed, in order to determine the most effective methods for the detection of defects and to estimate the remaining life of the components. As an example, a focus on results on wind turbine main bearing monitoring is presented. Methods of detection of bearing defects are known and proven, but may not work applied to slow speed shaft.

Bio

Sophie SIEG-ZIEBA graduated, more than 20 years ago, from University of Technololgy of Compiegne (France) as Mechanical Engineer, specialized in Acoustics and Vibrations. She then received a PhD in System Control, focusing on signal processing and data analysis for monitoring in industrial applications.

She is currently working as a project manager at CETIM (Technical Center for Mechanical Industries), in the Noise and Vibrations Department. Her main fields of experience are machine diagnosis and monitoring based on vibration analysis, dynamic analysis of machines, condition monitoring and signal processing. At CETIM she is in charge of research projects, consulting activities and continuous training for industrial. She is also involved in standardization, as French representative in the ISO TC 108/SC5 committee, dealing with condition monitoring.