Question

Which component in a wind power plant senses the direction of wind and passes the direction to the PLC, following which the PLC faces the blades in such a way that it cuts the maximum wind?

Yaw drive

Pitch drive

Nacelle

Wind vane

Answer ( Option D)

Wind vane

Solution

Basic construction of Wind Turbine:

1.) Tower:

Tower is a very crucial part of the wind turbine that supports all the other parts.
It not only supports the turbine but raises the turbine to sufficient height so that its blade tips would be at a safe height during rotation.

2.) Nacelle:

The nacelle is a big box or kiosk that sits on the tower and houses all the components of a wind turbine.
It houses an electrical generator, power converter, gearbox, turbine controller, cables, and a yaw drive.

3.) Rotor blades:

The blades convert wind energy into usable mechanical energy.
When the wind strikes the blades, the blades rotate.
This rotation transfers its mechanical energy to the shaft.

4.) Shaft:

When the blades rotate, this shaft spins with the same rpm as the rotating hub.
The shaft is directly connected to the electrical generator.
The rotor blades transfer their mechanical energy to the shaft which ultimately enters into an electrical generator.

5.) Gearbox:

The wind turbine does not rotate at high speed rather it rotates gently at low speed.
The electrical generators require high-speed rotation, to generate electricity at a desired voltage level.
The gearbox of the wind turbine does this. Gearbox increases the speed to a much higher value.

6.) Wind vane:

It senses the direction of the wind and passes the direction to PLC then PLC faces the blades in such a way that it cuts the maximum wind.

7.) Generator:

The generator is an electrical device that converts mechanical energy received from the shaft into electrical energy.

8.) Anemometer:

It measures the wind speed and passes the speed information to PLC to control the turbine power.

9.) Turbine Controller:

A turbine controller is a computer (PLC) that controls the entire turbine.
It starts and stops the turbine and runs self-diagnostic in case of any error in the turbine