There have been some changes to the wiring of wind turbines
over the last year, as electrical systems on large wind turbines are now
subject to a new standard. This standard is the UL 6141 which could see some
drastic changes to cabling practices.
Both new and refurbished wind turbines that generate more
than 500 kilowatts have to follow these standards. This new standard also
proposes strict limits on the use of appliance-wiring material (AWM) within and
between key generator subsystems.
These limits come from a requirement that all accessible
wiring must either be enclosed in a raceway, or rated for tray cable usage. The
new standards could affect different wind turbine subsystems, and here are a
few example of how:
The Gearbox –
There is no UL component standard specifically for gearboxes, therefore the UL
6141 will apply to the wiring for these components which relates to heaters and
PT 100 temperature sensors as an example.
Generators – The
existing UL component standard for generators permits AWM cables under limited
circumstances. In order to use AWM in generator wiring, a ready-to-connect
cable with connector must be set in place. This should also be fitted with a
grounding cable within the generator itself. Since neither of these options is
common with wind turbine generator manufacturers in today’s industry, UL listed
cable products will likely be the safest design strategy now UL 6141 has
arrived.
Tower – UL 6141
applies to towers as there is no existing UL for these. This clearly calls for
listed products for cables that run vertically up the tower, including those
for power, control signals, lighting and hoists.
Design engineers working on new turbine projects may want to keep this preference for products in mind. Using listed products only will not only result in more durable wiring but will also ensure compliance when UL 6141 goes into effect.
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