Fault Analysis in Gearbox of Wind Turbines Using Wavelet Transform
Wind Turbines - Vibration Analysis - Wavelet Transform
Wind energy is one of the main sources of clean energy today, standing out in the area of renewable energy. To make wind power more competitive than other sources, characteristics such as availability, reliability and turbine life span need to be improved. To do so, reducing inspection and maintenance costs is vital to maintaining the competitiveness of this industry. The maintenance applied to wind turbines implies high costs and long periods without energy production. One of the main elements that is subject to failure is the gearbox, which, due to lack of lubrication or contamination, causes the friction of the direct contact between the teeth in the transmission of energy and speed, resulting in wear and loss of material. One solution for the diagnosis of these mechanical failures is the wavelet analysis of the vibration signals produced by the mechanical elements. Thus, the objective of this research is to discuss the dynamic behavior of the wind generator gearbox, focusing on predictive maintenance, using the wavelet transform.