"In my view, there are two main factors that significantly drive our international Enercon business," said Ben Schmidt, Senior Manager Electrical Components Enercon at Deutsche Windtechnik. "On the one hand, there is the deliberate, step-by-step method of working itself. On the other hand, it is also important that we have second-level technicians with Enercon experience in every country on our Enercon competence team to deal with more complex issues. They are the initial contact persons for the service teams in each country. All of us are in close contact with each other." In the beginning, the majority of maintenance tasks were practiced several times in Germany. This included specialised repairs such as the replacement of large components. "We have built up a lot of expertise on a wide variety of challenges," Ben Schmidt said. The control centre in Germany carries out and ensures 24/7 monitoring of wind turbines all over the world.
Timing is everything
Special operations such as large component replacements are carried out regularly at the international level. "Our special teams for Enercon generators are requested relatively frequently. Repairs are complex because the ring generator is completely sealed with resin and coated with paint. In addition to patience, a lot of precision work is necessary. Sometimes it's like performing surgery, " Ben Schmidt joked. To prevent this from happening in the first place, Deutsche Windtechnik places great importance on preventive maintenance work. Measures that are taken at an early stage can often prevent or delay major damage. Even minor abnormalities in turbine operation are checked and registered during every regular maintenance deployment. "Take the generator as an example: In some cases, the condition of the generator can benefit greatly from preventive generator cleaning. Although the process, which uses dry ice, is relatively complex to carry out, it can provide significant benefits for turbine operation in the medium and long term," Ben Schmidt said.
Increased lubrication can ensure trouble-free operation of the main bearing
Another example of prevention is the increase in lubricant and grease supply to the main bearings: "On some Enercon turbines, we detected suboptimal lubricant supply to the main bearings at the start of the contract. In these cases, we began to increase the amount of lubrication. In addition to central lubrication, we use constant lubricators on the main bearings at certain points. We are now installing this 'grease upgrade' as a standard procedure on turbines belonging to our full-service clients," Ben Schmidt said. Grease quality checks during subsequent periodic maintenance deployments enable us to decide what measures to take at an early stage. We can also measure the bearing frequency. "The greater amount of lubricant allowed us to continue to operate bearings with possible beginnings of problems without worrying. Previously noticeable sounds have completely disappeared in many cases."
Conserving resources as a guiding principle
As a general rule, our technicians always endeavour to conserve available resources during service deployments. This applies in particular to the use of materials and the procurement of spare parts. Ben Schmidt said: "Even though bottlenecks have sometimes occurred in recent months because of the macroeconomic situation, our supply of material and spare parts is secured at the international level. So far, we have not had to shut down a turbine because we were missing necessary material. "The company has responded to the situation, strengthened its base and tapped additional sources. Defective electronic components, such as Enercon boards and converters, do not necessarily have to be replaced with new ones. Instead, Deutsche Windtechnik's workshop for control electronics has specialised in repairing and overhauling a range of electronic components in accordance with industrial standards. But the correct spare parts can also be supplied by the manufacturer, procured on the market for used parts or taken from stocks of Enercon products that have been purchased.
The system technologies currently serviced by Deutsche Windtechnik range from E-48 to E-92, with the majority of service contracts being for E-82 and E-70. Ben Schmidt said: "We are currently doing very well with the range of systems, but we are also simultaneously preparing to provide service for other types. In all of our endeavours, our goal is to continue to ensure quick reaction times and high service quality."
Contact for Enercon turbine service:
Lars Behrends
l.behrends@deutsche-windtechnik.com