Wind Turbine Repairs From Metalock Engineering

In need of wind turbine repairs? Wind turbines are becoming increasingly prevalent with growing demand for renewable energy around the globe. Wind turbines are an excellent form of renewables energy that harness the kinetic energy of the wind, but they are also highly complex mechanical systems that can encounter a wide range of problems.

Here at Metalock Engineering, we specialise in technically demanding mechanical engineering and repair projects, which include repairing wind turbine components. With over 70 years worth of experience in specialist engineering, you know you can trust us for your wind turbine repair needs.

How Do Wind Turbines Work?

Wind turbines are impressive yet highly complex systems. They are systems capable of priding electricity from the kinetic energy of the wind utilizing a few different components:

Rotor Blades: The rotor blades spin when the wind blows due to their aerodynamic design.
Nacelle: The nacelle is found at the top of the tower and houses the gearbox, generator, and other components. There is also a mechanism that ensures that the rotor is always facing the wind.
Gearbox: The gearbox increases the rotational speed and transfers it to a high-speed shaft connected to the generator.
Generator: The generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy sent to the grid.

These turbines are most commonly found on wind farms where there are dozens of wind turbines used to produce a large amount of renewable electricity that is stored for later use.

Wind Turbine Repairs from Metalock Engineering

At Metalock Engineering, we have extensive experience in wind turbine repairs. We can help with Structural, Gearbox and Generator repairs, all of which can return the turbine fully operational capacity and prolong its lifespan.

Common Problems

As mentioned, wind turbines are complex systems, and there are several problems that can arise but Metalock can help with in situ services

Metalock cold repairs on cracked casings.
Re-machining damaged bearing journal diameters in gearboxes and generators.
Re-coupling bolt holes
Re-machining damaged Yaw Disc surfaces
Re-machining brake discs
Broken stud removal
Centre Column base and joint flange machining
Centre Column Structural integrity, including cracks and corrosion.

Why Choose Metalock Engineering for Wind Turbine Repairs?

We are confident that we are the right company for your wind turbine repair projects. We have over 70 years of experience in specialist engineering, which more recently includes extensive experience in various different types of turbines. We work for all major manufacturers around the globe and power generation companies.

Another good reason to use Metalock Engineering for your wind turbine repairs is that we are on call 24/7 and available 365 days of the year. Our technicians are strategically located and ready to travel at short notice, so we can send the technician closest to your site, allowing for a rapid response to your wind turbine issues. Wind turbine issues can stop the turbine from working entirely, so it is vital that issues are dealt with swiftly to minimise downtime.

We use modern equipment and advanced techniques to carry out wind turbine repairs onsite, which helps to keep downtime at a minimum and prevents the need to dismantle the turbine and send components away to be repaired. This can save both time and the need for logistics.

Our highly skilled engineers can work in challenging environments safely and efficiently, helping to keep disruption to a minimum. We only employ those with a highly developed sense of safety awareness and those who have obtained the appropriate approvals to carry out high-quality work in a safe manner.

Wind Turbine

Anemometer: Measures the wind speed and transmits wind speed data to the controller

Nacelle: The rotor attaches to the nacelle, which sits atop the tower and includes the gear box, low- and high-speed shafts, generator, controller, and brake. A cover protects the components inside the nacelle. Some nacelles are large enough for a technician to stand inside while working

Gear box: Gears connect the low-speed shaft to the high-speed shaft and increase the rotational speeds from about 30 to 60 rotations per minute (rpm) to about 1200 to 1500 rpm, the rotational speed required by most generators to produce electricity.

Brake: A disc brake which can be applied mechanically, electrically, or hydraulically to stop the rotor in emergencies.

Blade: Most turbines have either two or three blades. Wind blowing over the blades causes the blades to “lift” and rotate.

Rotor: The blades and the hub together are called the rotor.

Controller: The controller starts up the machine at wind speeds of about 8 to 16 miles per hour (mph) and shuts off the machine at about 65 mph. Turbines cannot operate at wind speeds above about 65 mph because their generators could overheat.

Generator: Usually an off-the-shelf induction generator that produces 60-cycle AC electricity.

Yaw drive: Upwind turbines face into the wind; the yaw drive is used to keep the rotor facing into the wind as the wind direction changes. Downwind turbines don’t require a yaw drive, the wind blows the rotor downwind.

Yaw motor: Powers the yaw drive.

Power cables: The lifelines of wind turbines. These cables are responsible for transporting the electricity generated in the nacelle down the towering wind turbine structure where it is further distributed.

Tower: Towers are made from tubular steel or steel lattice. Because wind speed increases with height, taller towers enable turbines to capture more energy and generate more electricity.

Contact Us Today

Wind turbines are becoming an increasingly prevalent form of renewable energy. As the world becomes greener, there is a growing demand for clean energy, and wind turbines are one of the most effective ways to produce clean energy as the wind is a continuous and powerful source. Turbines are capable of converting this kinetic energy into electricity, but they are also complex systems built up of many different components. There are various problems that can arise with each component, which is why it is important to have a specialist engineering group you can trust to carry out wind turbine repairs.

Metalock Engineering can repair different wind turbine components to improve the performance, efficiency, and safety of the entire turbine. These small repairs can prevent component replacement, helping to make significant savings. Additionally, our 24/7 global response service ensures that downtime is kept to a minimum, which is critical for saving money and protecting your reputation.