YIELD INCREASES

 

INSPECTIONS OPTIMIZATION

 

OPERATING COSTS REDUCTION

 

SERVICE LIFE EXTENSION

 

From ice detection and reduction of tonalities to structural health monitoring (SHM) on blades, towers or foundations – in the field of wind energy we offer professional services and system solutions to increase yields, extend the service life and optimize inspections. We are experts in vibration and signal analysis, provide information on structural damage and the associated service life of your wind turbines, monitor material fatigue and help you to comply with legal requirements regarding noise emissions.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN TOWERS SWING?


Strong vibrations accelerate material fatigue and the risk of damage, such as cracks in the rotor blades, may increase significantly. When wind turbines start to vibrate, individual frequencies in the background noise of the turbine can also become audible – this is referred to as tonality. As these are perceived as particularly unpleasant for humans, they usually lead to a more negative evaluation of the sound emission, often leading to the systems only being allowed to run in sound-reduced mode.

Vibrations can therefore cause additional costs in several ways and lead to yield losses. As a rule, they cannot be completely avoided, but they can be significantly reduced. There are various methods of reducing vibrations, including the use of passive and active absorbers. As experts in vibrations and acoustics, we have extensive experience in this field and have specialized in solving vibration problems with our sound knowledge of structural mechanics and dynamics.

Reducing vibrations and thus avoiding extreme loads is essential, especially with regard to a possible continued operation after the design lifetime has expired. By using Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems, the remaining service life can be calculated on the basis of the fatigue loads that have actually occurred, the design model can be optimized and thus a well-founded decision can be made about the continued operation.

WE UNDERSTAND WIND

________

The wind itself is the protagonist in the new image film of Wölfel Wind Systems. The wind tells its story, its importance for mankind and who understands it best ...

Please contact us personally

________

In daily use by a large number of manufacturers and operators, our solutions and systems make a significant contribution to increasing yields and to the safety and acceptance of wind turbines. Together with partners and experts, we are continuously working on the further development of our product range.

Timo Klaas

+49 40 524715-265
klaas@woelfel.de
Contact form

Study

Industrial engineering in dual study programme, Osnabrück University of Cooperative Education

Acadamic Degree

Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)

Professional Motto

Let the wind do its job!

Working at Wölfel

A family business of colleagues with such deep expertise that we can work at eye level with the leading international OEMs in the wind industry.

Very broad field of work with the opportunity to tackle and implement things.

Great colleagues with fun and joy.

Cool location in Hamburg :-)

Dipl.-Ing. Bernd Wölfel

Study

Civil Engineering, TU Berlin

Acadamic Degree

Dipl.-Ing.

Committee Activity

WAB e.V.

Professional Motto

"Paths are created by walking them." (Franz Kafka)

 

Working at Wölfel

Working independently in a flexible, highly innovative company that makes a little contribution to the energy transition.

Lorena Sproll-Astorquiza

+49 931 49708-761
Lsa@woelfel.de
Contact form

Study

Applied Foreign Languages and Business Administration, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen

Acadamic Degree

Diploma Business Anglicist / Romance Studies

Professional Motto

Work hard, be yourself and have fun.

Working at Wölfel

The wind energy sector is very inspiring. My motivation is to support the world and customers with our products.

Study

Industrial engineering in dual study programme, Osnabrück University of Cooperative Education

Acadamic Degree

Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)

Professional Motto

Let the wind do its job!

Working at Wölfel

A family business of colleagues with such deep expertise that we can work at eye level with the leading international OEMs in the wind industry.

Very broad field of work with the opportunity to tackle and implement things.

Great colleagues with fun and joy.

Cool location in Hamburg :-)

Study

Civil Engineering, TU Berlin

Acadamic Degree

Dipl.-Ing.

Committee Activity

WAB e.V.

Professional Motto

"Paths are created by walking them." (Franz Kafka)

 

Working at Wölfel

Working independently in a flexible, highly innovative company that makes a little contribution to the energy transition.

Study

Applied Foreign Languages and Business Administration, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen

Acadamic Degree

Diploma Business Anglicist / Romance Studies

Professional Motto

Work hard, be yourself and have fun.

Working at Wölfel

The wind energy sector is very inspiring. My motivation is to support the world and customers with our products.

HOW DO YOU DISTRACT KNOWLEDGE FROM A FLOOD OF DATA?


Only if the individual components of the wind turbine as well as the loads and stresses are precisely known can you react quickly to deviations and damage and initiate effective countermeasures. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems therefore collect large amounts of data, in particular structural-mechanical parameters such as acceleration, displacement and stretch. The decisive task, however, is the evaluation and interpretation of this measured data.

We have been developing intelligent algorithms for signal analysis for more than 40 years and integrate additional operating and environmental conditions in the evaluation. This is what we call Structural Intelligence. The result is detailed knowledge of the state of the structure. On this basis, diagnoses can be made, risks calculated, forecasts made and clear recommendations for action derived.

However, we do not only offer tools for analysis. From the planning and conception of an SHM system to the installation and commissioning through to the preparation and visualization of the collected data, you receive all services from a single source.

KNOWLEDGE LIBRARY

Exploiting the potential of a wind farm in the best possible way – this is not only the overriding goal of manufacturers and operators, but is also essential with a view to achieving the fastest possible energy turnaround. In our white papers in the categories Increase yields, Optimize inspections and Extend service life, you can find out how you can sustainably increase the efficiency of your wind turbines: 

CHALLENGE OFFSHORE – HOW DO YOU KEEP EVERYTHING RUNNING SMOOTHLY IN SPITE OF ROUGH WINDS?


Higher and more constant wind speeds than on land make the sea an attractive location for wind farms. At the same time, the wind turbines there are also exposed to extreme environmental influences. Strong waves and high wind speeds lead to high dynamic loads. This results in increased requirements during both installation and operation.

The investment costs for offshore wind turbines are generally higher than for turbines on land. With a view to rapid amortization, efficient and trouble-free operation is essential.  Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) allows for damage to be detected at an early stage thus minimizing downtimes tor even completely avoiding them. 

SHM can also reduce the number of usually expensive, risky and weather-dependent visual inspections (periodic inspections) to the minimum recommended by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). Ideally, inspections are not carried out periodically, but on a risk basis. Errors with a high risk of failure or damage are identified and prioritized, and targeted inspections can be planned with foresight.

1.800+

SYSTEMS

280+

PROJECTS

200+

CLIENTS

10+

OEMs

CHALLENGE ONSHORE – WHEN DOES WIND MAKE ALL THE RIGHT NOISE?


The space available for onshore wind turbines is limited. Therefore, more and more densely populated or inaccessible areas have to be developed. This is accompanied by a large number of licensing requirements, including noise emission, ice Shedding and seismological stations.

According to the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG), wind turbines with a total height of more than 50 meters must receive approval. Among other things, an immission forecast must be submitted in advance and a verification measurement carried out after commissioning. Tonalities can also lead to the approval limits being exceeded. With the help of active vibration reduction, however, the turbines can still be operated without loss of yield.

At so-called "cold climate" sites, there is also an increased risk of ice Shedding. In order to ensure all in the vicinity is protected from this, wind turbines must be halted as soon as the rotor blades are frozen. Special ice detection systems automatically stop the turbine when ice is detected and restart it as soon as it is ice-free again.   

The vibrations emitted from wind turbines can also influence the measurement results of seismological stations. For this reason, the Geological Service must be involved in planning and approval procedures within a radius of ten kilometers in North Rhine-Westphalia. In order to reduce seismic emissions from wind turbines, a passive vibration absorber can be used. Depending on frequencies and amplitudes, vibrations can significantly be reduced, even with low absorber masses.

PARTNER

In daily use by a large number of producers and operators, our solutions and systems make a significant contribution to increasing yields as well as to the safety and acceptance of wind turbines. Together with partners and experts, we are continuously working on the further development of our product range.