Replacement components for wind turbines
When a wind turbine comes to a standstill due to defective components, what is the decisive factor? Exactly, a quick replacement! Because an out-of-service turbine puts the operator in an unfavorable position: no electricity for the customers, no revenue for the operator. Liebherr-Components covers this need with a comprehensive range of high-quality components, including blade and yaw bearings as well as pitch and yaw drives – and recently also main bearings for service requirements.
Liebherr supplies spare parts and offers also improved components that increase and improve the service life and performance of the wind turbine. With logistically conveniently located central warehouses and a global production network, Liebherr guarantees fast delivery and offers competent on-site support.
Moritz Jehle is Key Account Manager in the Wind Aftermarket (WAM) division at Liebherr and tells us what is particularly important when it comes to replacement components for wind turbines and what difference our slewing bearings and drives make.
01
A look back to look ahead
The wind market has developed very dynamically worldwide in recent years. Wind energy capacities and therefore the use of wind turbines to generate electricity have increased considerably. Various factors have driven this growth trend, including increasing environmental awareness, government incentives and subsidy programs as well as technological advances in the wind energy sector.
"In all likelihood, these developments will continue to be positive in the coming years. This is due to the increasing demand for renewable energies and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The technologies are also constantly being improved and made more efficient," says Jehle. The wind market will therefore continue to grow in the coming years. Both onshore and offshore. "In some regions, offshore wind farms could be a focal point, as they have the potential to generate large amounts of clean electricity without having to use land that is otherwise required," explains Jehle.
02
Increasing demand for replacement components for wind turbines
As the installed capacity continues to grow, so does the demand for replacement components for wind turbines. However, even turbines that have been installed for several years are reaching "service age" and may require replacement components. In addition, wind farms and turbines are regularly serviced to ensure optimum performance and reliability. "In particular, the ongoing technology competition and the associated short intervals until a new turbine is ready for series production can lead to earlier turbine or component failures. And with our blade and yaw bearings and drives, we have a suitable product portfolio in this area," says Jehle.
03
Locally strong, globally positioned
When it comes to replacing blade and yaw bearings, the customer's location is crucial. For example, Liebherr supplies most customers from North and South America from its plant in Mexico. In and around Europe, customers are supplied from the plant in southern Germany. Pitch and yaw drives are supplied almost exclusively from southern Germany to North and South America and Europe. Liebherr also supplies some drives to the relevant customers from India.
Fast availability, reliable products and global support as decisive factors
Wind farm operators and owners, as well as service providers, face various challenges when it comes to replacing wind components. The most important of these is the availability of the required components. "Availability is crucial in order to minimize the operating downtimes of wind turbines, which can quickly lead to very high yield losses at corresponding exchange electricity prices. In addition, the focus remains on costs. The challenge is to find cost-effective replacement components or services without compromising quality and reliability," says Jehle. And this is exactly where Liebherr comes in with the right product portfolio. "We ensure that our components and services are of the highest quality and reliability. Since major customers in the wind energy sector often operate their turbines in different parts of the world, we are also able to offer global support and supply chain management," confirms Jehle.
04
Convincing delivery times
As fast delivery times are important for the smooth replacement of components, Liebherr is also particularly well positioned here. "In most cases, we can deliver immediately or in a very short time (1-2 weeks). For turbines that are not so common in the WAM business, delivery can take a little longer, as the component has to be produced from scratch. The challenge is to identify the required products for the coming months and produce them in advance," explains Jehle.
05
Fast and reliable delivery of replacement components is the most important aspect of the replacement component business. In particular, we also offer technical advice in order to realise suitable solutions together.
Retrofit, upgrade and lifetime extension with our replacement components
As a leading manufacturer of slewing bearings and drives for wind turbines, Liebherr offers a wide range of high-quality components to ensure their smooth operation. "Our replacement components are designed to meet the most stringent industry standards and provide reliable and efficient performance. We manufacture blade and yaw bearings as well as drives as replacement components for a wide range of wind turbine types. Whether as a retrofit, turbine upgrade or to extend turbine life, our replacement components for wind turbines are of outstanding quality and exceptional durability. This is based on our almost 30 years of experience as a supplier to wind OEMs," says Jehle.
06
Improved: optimised blade bearing design as a retrofit or upgrade for wind turbines
When developing bearings for the service market, damage patterns in the field are analysed and products are optimised with a view to specific series damage. The trick is to apply proven yet modern forms of technology to existing adjacent constructions and create a more resistant, durable product in the same installation space. One example of this is the three-row roller bearing as a blade bearing. This bears higher loads and reduces known damage patterns such as edge wear, cage or ring fractures. And all this with the same dimensions and easy interchangeability. Compared to the ball bearing, the roller bearing is more resilient, has long maintenance intervals and a significantly longer service life of up to 50%. It therefore guarantees long-term availability for the wind turbines. The blade bearings have proven all this in numerous projects of large wind turbine manufacturers and operators worldwide.
07
Highly resilient: pitch and yaw drives for maximum efficiency and reliability
Pitch and yaw drives are essential components in wind turbines and must meet the highest demands. Particularly in strong wind conditions, the drives are exposed to enormous loads and overspeed, which can lead to damage. Broken planet carriers or loose, even detached pinions are typical consequences of such loads. To meet these challenges, Liebherr uses planetary carriers made of forged steel instead of cast iron. This significantly increases the impact and tensile strength of the drives. In addition, the design of the drives enables input speeds of up to 3,600 rpm, which guarantees their flexibility and performance under extreme conditions. The yaw drives are characterized by their durability, robustness and low maintenance requirements. Their high load capacity and long maintenance intervals ensure the long-term availability and best possible energy yield of every wind turbine.
