Gamesa - Model G52 - Wind Turbine

Advantages of the Gamesa 500 kW platform

• Experience, excellent reliability and performance
• Variable pitch and speed technology maximize energy production
• Lighter blades manufactured by using fiberglass and prepregs
• Technological solutions guarantee compliance with main international grid connection requirements
• Gamesa active yaw system ensures optium adaptation to complex terrain
• Aerodynamic design and the Gamesa NRS control system minimize noise emissions
• Gamesa WindNet: remote control and monitoring system with web access
• Gamesa SMP: own system for predictive maintenance

The Gamesa G5X-850 kW platform undergoes a continuous improvement process, which incorporates new versions with a view to adapting it to all possible environmental conditions (corrosive, desert, seismic, high and low temperatures, typhoons).

Gamesa G52-500 kW - Technical Specifications and services

Drive train
Drive train with the main axis supported on two spherical bearings that provide significant advantages since lateral loads are transmitted directly to the framework through a rack. This prevents the gear box from receiving additional, unwanted loads, thus reducing the possibilities of breakdown as well as providing a longer service life.

Minimum Noise Emission, Maximum Production
Aerodynamic design of the blade tip and mechanical component designs that minimize noise emissions. In addition, Gamesa has developed the Gamesa NRS, noise control system, which makes it possible to program noise emissions according to such criteria as the date, time or wind direction. This achieves compliance with local regulations and enables maximum production.

Controlled Brake System
The joint action of the primary aerodynamic brakes and mechanical emergency brake (located at the output of the high-speed axis of the gear box) with a hydraulic control system, allows controlled braking that prevents damage due to excessive transmission load.

Total Lightning Protection
The Gamesa G52-850 kW platform uses the “Total Lightning Protection” System, designed according to the IEC 62305 standard. This system conducts the lightning from both sides of the tip of the blade to the root, and from there, through the nacelle and the tower structure, to the foundation grounding system. This protects the blade and prevents the lightning from going through the blade bearings and main axis, protecting sensitive electrical and electronic elements from becoming damaged.

Gamesa WindNet*, Real-time Remote Operation and Monitoring
The Gamesa turbines come standard with a new generation SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) wind farm system, entirely developed by Gamesa, which allows remote operation and the monitoring of wind turbines in real time. An innovative, modular design is based on standard TCP/IP architecture. Control features include active and reactive power, voltage and frequency regulation tools, as well as environmental options to optimize production while complying with the current regulations. Accessible anywhere through a Web browser, WindNet is simple to use and intuitive. It features the Report Generator and Information Manager decision-taking analytical tools as well as TrendViewer, an advanced tool to visualize trends.

Designed for Simple Maintenance
Gamesa's turbines have been continually developed from the experience of having 10,000+ turbines in the field, to provide high reliability and ease of maintenance. With many G52 turbines already installed in the UK, Gamesa have a stock of G5X spare parts in their depot in Glasgow. Any replacement equipment supplied by Gamesa comes standard with a two-year warranty on components, availability and power curves when combined with a maintenance service from VG Energy. But VG Energy and Gamesa's commitment to its customers does not end there. Gamesa has developed an Integral Management Service comprising of a long-term operation and maintenance contract (up to 15 years), providing wider coverage and guaranteeing maximum availability, ensuring long-term costs to operate the turbine(s) are known which assists in gaining funding for the project.

Optimum Electrical Grid Connection and Stable Production
Gamesa's dual power wind turbines and Active Crowbar technologies with oversized converters guarantee compliance with the most demanding requirements for connection to current grids and future electric grid and wind farm configurations. The turbines include support for voltage-drop and dynamic active and reactive power regulation.

Control System: Maximum Output under Any Wind Condition
The dual powered generator enables speed and power control by utilising IGBT converters and electronic PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control.

Advantages:

• Increased efficiency and energy production.
• Improved operation life of the machine.
• Active and reactive power control.
• Low harmonic content and minimum losses.

On-Line Condition Monitoring System for Predictive Maintenance (SMP)
Incorporated in your turbine is a predictive maintenance system that can detect the premature deterioration or faults in the main wind-turbine components, this allows for repair before major damage occurs.

Advantages:

• Improved reliability, availability and useful life of the machine.
• Can fix potential issues during regular service visits which results in less downtime.
• Integration with the control system which allows the turbine to shutdown to preventdamage.
• Reduced insurance premiums.

Gamesa G52 – Complete Versatility
The Gamesa G52 platform offers the VG Energy customer complete versatility and the perfect turbine match for their individual site. VG Energy sales consultants are fully trained in the different variations to assist in the selection of the correct turbine. Below, and over the page, is a brief explanation of the different options that can be chosen depending on your requirements:

Rotor Size
The Gamesa G52 platform has 3 different rotor sizes to choose from, in general you would select the largest rotor that can be allowed by your site wind conditions and the planning requirements. See the “Turbine Siting Considerations” section later in this document for further information. The G58 version has a 58m diameter rotor and is specifically designed, and certified, for class 2 and 3 sites, most of the UK falls within these category. The G52 turbines have a 52m diameter rotor and are designed for sites that are class 1, these sites would be found in the windiest locations in the UK, generally these sites are found in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland (including Orkney and Shetland). The G52R47 turbine, with a 47m rotor diameter, is built on the strength of the G52 platform and is designed to operate in the most extreme conditions in the world (sites that exceed IEC class)

1). Although there are few, if any, sites like this in the UK, this turbine can be utilised in situations where the tip height of the turbine needs to be slightly lower than the other two turbines in this range. This can allow this excellent turbine to be installed where the planning consent may be for another less bankable turbine or where visual or radar planning restrictions exist for the specific site. See the following table on model tip heights.

Each of these 3 main versions are IEC certified which makes these turbines stand out from other turbines in this size range, IEC certification is extremely important to the funder of the turbine as well as giving piece of mind to the customer.

Tower Heights
This platform has multiple tower heights that can be utilised for your project, again to suit the wind conditions and the planning conditions. In general you would select the highest tower available, but in reality in the UK it is best to keep the turbine tip height to less than 80m for a simpler and shorter planning process (see the table over the page for tip heights of each variation).

Rated Power Output
There are two Gamesa rated power versions of these turbines (500kW and 850kW). Due to the accurate power control of these turbines, the 850kW turbine can be operated from any power rating from 501kW to 850kW to comply with any grid limitations that you may have. The 500kW version can operate at any power level from 225kW to 500kW, again to be able to be installed in locations where there are grid limitations.

The 500kW Re-Engineered Turbine
The G52-500kW turbines have been redesigned from their 850kW turbines to suit locations in the world where there are grid limitations. Gamesa have made both hardware and software changes to these turbines which make the turbine impossible for the owner or operator of the turbine to generate more than 500kW from these turbines without substantial physical changes. Gamesa and VG Energy are complying with the current requirements from Ofgem which they require to be met to allow these turbines to be accepted for a particular band of the FIT. Gamesa is fully behind this process and supplies all required documentation certifying that the turbine complies with these rules. Some other manufacturers in this market cannot or will not be able to supply this required documentation.

Acoustic Emissions
While the Gamesa G5X turbines are very quiet by industry standards, Gamesa have cleverly designed their turbines to be even quieter, if required for a site with particularly difficult noise constraints, which is reasonably common in the UK. These Gamesa turbines have 4 acoustic operational modes, the original un-restrained model and three other models that have lower acoustic emissions. This feature is controlled by the software of the turbine and can even be varied automatically at different times of the day if required by your situation.

Environmental Options
High Corrosion Protection: Gamesa turbines are designed to last at least 20 years without the need for major work due to corrosion in normal to harsh environments, but for extremely high corrosion environments Gamesa offers turbines with extra protection against the elements.

Extreme low temperature: Standard Gamesa turbines are designed and built to operate at temperatures down to minus 20 degrees Celsius. The extreme low temperature version of these turbines would be required for operation in temperatures lower than this. In general this is not required in the UK, as these temperatures are generally only seen when there is no wind, and the turbines wouldn’t be operating at that time.

Models Available: G52-500kW and G52-850kW
Rotor Diameter: 52.0m
Swept Area: 2,124 m2
Rated Power: 500 kW and 850kW (other ratings also available)
Cut-in Speed: 4.0 m/s
Cut-out Speed: 28.0 m/s
Static survival wind speed: 70 m/s (157mph)
Max design AMWS: 10.0 m/s
IEC 61400 Wind Turbine Class: Class IA with a design life of at least 20 years
Rotor Rotation Direction: Clockwise viewed from upwind
Operational Rotor Speed: 30.8 RPM
Rotor Hub Type: 3 bladed Pitching
Orientation: Upwind
Generator Type: Doubly-fed machine, 690 V AC, 4 pole, 50/60 Hz
Tower Construction: Tubular Monopole, 2 or 3 sections depending on height
Blade Construction: Moulded fiberglass
Over-speed Control: Full Pitch Regulated & hydraulic disc brake
Blade Pitch: Full span pitch control
Yaw Control: Active
Certification: Certified to IEC 61400 1A
Operational ambient temperature limits: -20 C min, 40 C max
Available Hub Heights: 44m, 49m, 55m, and 65m