ABB wind turbine converters

Turbine certification support Turbine certifications are based on the grid codes used in the region where the turbine will be installed. When turbine manufacturers are applying for certification, ABB engineers can help the manufacturer use and maximize the converter’s technology to meet the requirements of the grid code.

ABB wind turbine converters ABB low voltage wind turbine converter ABB medium voltage wind turbine converter ABB offers the complete range of wind turbine converters for onshore and offshore installations.

ABB offers the complete range of converters for wind turbines – from small wind turbines for residential or small business use to utility-scale wind turbines installed in onshore or offshore wind farms. ABB wind turbine converters help increase turbines’ energy production through high availability, grid code compliance and long life cycles. Converters for doubly-fed and full power concepts ABB offers doubly-fed and full power converter designs. Doubly-fed power converters feature reactive power control, high efficiency at the nominal point and very low total harmonic distortion (THD). Full power converters isolate the wind turbine generator from line transients and enable fast response to line faults. They provide better ride-through capabilities and support during grid faults. Converters for small wind turbines (2 – 110 kW) ABB offers a wide range of small wind turbine converters for residential or small business use. ABB’s portfolio includes single-phase and three-phase wind turbine converters as well as grid-tie transformerless solutions. The compact converters are characterized by high efficiency and are easy to install and maintain. Converters for utility-scale wind turbines Low voltage wind turbine converters (600 kW – 8 MW) Low voltage wind turbine converters are available in full power or doubly-fed designs, with air or liquid cooling. They feature ABB’s direct torque control (DTC) which monitors the generator torque up to 80,000 times per second, enabling the most efficient generator control. This provides the foundation for grid code and fault ride-through compliance. Parallel connected sub-converters are available as design option for a higher overall efficiency and redundancy. Medium voltage wind turbine converters (4 – 12 MW) Designed for larger turbines, ABB’s medium voltage full power converters provide fault ride-through and grid code compliance. They are characterized by low parts count, long life expectancy even under load cycling, high availability and low losses. The modular design allows easy customization to meet customer requirements. The liquid-cooled converters enable low cost and efficient cable installation. ABB’s low and medium voltage wind turbine converters are available in in-line, back-to-back or face-to-face configurations and are suitable for nacelle or tower installation..

Reliability ABB wind turbine converters are based on the same world leading ABB variable-speed drive technology installed in thousands of applications worldwide. They are designed for operation in harsh environmental conditions, such as dust, sand and salt and are available with up to IP54 levels of protection. Remote monitoring Wind turbines typically have a built-in condition monitoring capability that is used to assess the overall status of the turbine. However, sometimes wind farm engineers and turbine manufacturers need more information to help assess fault conditions or to analyze the turbine’s performance. ABB provides remote monitoring capabilities that allow wind farm operators to directly access the converter to obtain data such as voltage, power, reactive power, temperature and speed.

Service and support ABB offers comprehensive global life-cycle services to help customers’ wind turbine converters operate like new

ABB engineers not only work with turbine manufacturers during the design and converter specification phase, but provide their services throughout the entire life cycle of the converters. Installation and commissioning ABB’s certified onshore and offshore commissioning engineers have extensive know-how and experience in wind turbine converters and mechanical start-ups, which makes commissioning fast and smooth and lays the foundation for high reliability and efficiency. Technical support ABB provides remote services for fast failure analysis as part of its maintenance program for wind turbine converters. On customer request, a 24/7 support line for getting instant advice by ABB’s certified engineers, and on-site field support can be provided. Spares and consumables Having the correct spare parts available at the correct locations, either at the turbine manufacturer’s warehouse, regional stocking centers or at wind farms, needs to be wellplanned to ensure the highest wind turbine energy production. ABB can help plan spare part stocking throughout the life cycle of the wind turbine. Preventive maintenance The turbine converter performs critical duties in power generation and its failure may result in loss of production and revenue. Adopting and implementing ABB’s converter-specific preventive maintenance schedules reduces the risk of failure and increases the lifetime of the converter, lowering overall operational costs. ABB developed preventive maintenance kits containing all the genuine ABB spare parts needed to perform a specific maintenance task, helping to simplify the preventive maintenance process.