GE's Power Conversion business has signed a turnkey contract with the Lindoe Offshore Renewables Centre (LORC)—a Danish centre for testing renewable energy technology—for the construction, commissioning and handover of what it calls "one of the world's most advanced facilities to test wind turbine nacelles with an output power of up to 10MW".
"GE is extremely pleased and proud to be a partner for LORC in building an outstanding test bench that will lead the wind industry into the future of a safer supply of renewable power," said Franz Hubl, global business leader, Test Systems, at GE Power Conversion. The Lindoe Nacelle Testing project (LNT) will be located in the Lindoe Industrial Park on Funen, Denmark's fourth-largest island. It will be ready for tests in 2014.
The function tester will incorporate GE's drivetrain, grid simulation, control systems and foundation work. It consists of medium-voltage switchgear, transformers, inverter system DDPM (direct-drive, permanent-magnet) motor, HMI (human-machine interface) and foundation. GE will carry out the installation, commissioning and remote service for the project.
The nacelle tester will enable LORC to test the functionality and performance of wind turbine nacelles by using a specially designed adapter that enables the turbine hub and all field operational software and hardware—including pitch control—to be included in the test. It will open up a range of opportunities to test wind turbine controllers inside the nacelle, using realistic test conditions at 33 kV.
The test bench has a modular design that will enable it to be adapted to future needs. For example, its grid simulator power can be increased at a later date, thereby increase its functionality to carry out extended FRT (Fault Ride Through) tests—simulations of wind turbine systems to remain connected to the supply during grid malfunctions and to help stabilize it.
