Renewable Energy

Why must every operator of renewable energy plants attach great importance to maintenance?
The regular maintenance and servicing of wind farms and hydropower plants is a very important task for their operators to ensure long-term use. During electricity production, vibrations are generated in the generators and turbines, which need to be constantly monitored.

How can AVA Software assist?

Wind farms
In order to achieve maximum electricity production from wind turbines, it is only possible if all turbine components work well together. For this, it is necessary to always be fully informed about their condition, such as the gearbox, the generator, the couplings or the tower bearing.  The constant influences of wind, rain and gales have a very strong effect on the individual components inside the wind turbine. Unnoticed and unregistered damage or malfunctions can result in a standstill. This is where AVA Software comes into play.
The AVA Software collects data from the sensors installed inside the wind turbine at critical points where particularly high loads occur during operation, such as at the gearbox, the generator and the main bearing. The large vibrations can be measured with precision in this way and analyzed in detail in the AVA Software. 

Hydropower
Hydroelectric power plants are subjected to massive forces, which lead to vibrations that can wear turbine parts and eventually lead to machine breakdowns, in some cases with catastrophic consequences.
In the past, hydro turbines were monitored at regular intervals. They were often only operated under base load conditions and maintenance was either corrective or preventive. Nowadays, hydropower plants are adapted to the electricity market and electricity production is regulated, resulting in constant starts and stops of the plant, which means that hydropower turbines are often operated at partial load and are exploited quickly. The heavier load on the machines should be constantly monitored because some turbines are less robust, and the life of older hydropower plants is extended by overhauls, which puts a heavier load on the machines. The advantages of vibration monitoring show that continuous monitoring of vibration levels of hydropower equipment enables ensuring stable power generation, making maintenance decisions based on machine condition, reducing maintenance costs, minimising failure frequency, protecting on-site personnel, extending turbine life, increase turbine efficiency.
The measured data can be transferred to an FTP server via the internet or mobile phone connection and stored there. This also allows alarm levels to be programmed on the detected irregularities in the bearing that show a deviation from its characteristic vibration frequency.  Notification via SMS/email or customised integration of the alarm in your own monitoring software is possible.

We offer customized solutions
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