 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Windmills : commercial direct-drive turbines (~1MW)
| Author | Message | ||||
| Dinges Senior Member  Joined: 04/01/2008 Location: AlbaniaPosts: 510 |
A while ago on a cycling trip I came across some funny looking windturbines: 
A better picture by the manufacturer: 
Very different from the 'normal' nacelles I'm familiar with; from the outside they looked almost as if they contained an axial flux turbine, or even a Fisher&Paykel.... So this evening I thought it was time for a closer visit to those windmills, trying to find out the brand and type of the turbines. Alas, the manufacturer's name was nowhere to be found on the tower... but as luck would have it, a service crew van just rode past. I stopped them and asked a few questions. Turns out they're made by a Dutch company called EWT and are direct drive mills - no gearing. This should cut down a lot on maintenance costs.... They're not axial flux though, but plain radial flux. Still. Interesting to see these new turbines without gearboxes. I particularly like the direct-drive concept. What isn't there can't go defect. Here's a link to the manufacturer's website, for anyone interested: http://www.ewtinternational.com/?id=32 It has some detailed close-ups and a bit of background information. As a sidenote...: This is a relatively new windpark - I clearly recall the numerous protests from environmentalist groups about two years ago. The funniest argument I've heard from them was that of 'landscape pollution'. I've included a picture of the landscape to give an idea of what it looks... 
In the background (the natural, 'pristine' landscape before the turbines) can be seen the industrial zone and harbour of Antwerp, containing, amongst others, the cooling towers of the nuclear power plant of Doel, the BASF chemical plant, some petrochemical plants with flare tower, etc. How anyone could claim these windturbines could spoil the landscape is beyond me. Must be me, but I think it actually improved a lot. Peter. |
||||
niall1 Senior Member Joined: 20/11/2008 Location: IrelandPosts: 331 |
unusual alright ...kindof looks like it doesent use a gear box ..direct drive thingy maybe erm...next time i,ll actually read the post description first ..  niall |
||||
Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5119 |
They look the same as the windmills at Ravenshoe. http://www.thebackshed.com/windmill/articles/Ravenshoe.asp Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
||||
GWatPE Senior Member Joined: 01/09/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2127 |
Hi dinges, the windmills appear to be of downwind type, while the Ravenshoe units appear to be upwind type. Gordon. become more energy aware |
||||
| Dinges Senior Member Joined: 04/01/2008 Location: AlbaniaPosts: 510 |
Niall: 
[quote=Gizmo]They look the same as the windmills at Ravenshoe.[/quote] Yeah, quite a few similarities there. Hadn't read the story you linked to yet, but I don't see (explicitly) mentioned that those are direct-drive machines. Makes me wonder... has the industry seen the light too and gone the direct-drive route (as we amateurs have done for a long time now, with the axial fluxes, F&Ps and motorconversions)? I guess it's much easier, quicker and cheaper to replace a defect inverter in the top of the tower (just pull a few racks, insert new modules) than it is to replace a defect gearbox. That last thing would be major maintenance, requiring a crane. [quote=Gordon]the windmills appear to be of downwind type, [/quote] Gordon, they are definitely upwind machines. They only seem to differ from the 'normal' machines in the fact that they don't have a gearbox (direct-drive). Peter. Edit: on second thought, I recall that each turbine had its own large cabinet (3x2x2m, guestimating) next to it, at about 1m distance from the tower. I didn't pay too much attention to those cabinets... but I now strongly suspect that all the electronics is in there, at groundlevel. Would make sense to have as little as possible in the top of the tower (not much room there either, no real nacelle): a few wires of 3-phase wild AC coming down the tower, and a few sensor lines. Rectification and inverting, plus up-transforming, being done in the cabinets at groundlevel. |
||||
| GWatPE Senior Member Joined: 01/09/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2127 |
No worries dinges, the photos are deceptive. blade bend would make it easier to see. Would not be a good day to ride a bike if it was windy though. Gordon. become more energy aware |
||||
 Print this page |
 |
The Back Shed's forum code is written, and hosted, in Australia. | © JAQ Software 2025 |
