FLENDER GEAR UNITS

Routine maintenance has just been carried out on Flender’s gear units at Ovenden Moor Wind Farm, near Halifax, where 23 units have just completed 108,000 hours’ service.

Examination by Flender service engineer Steve Stratton revealed wear on only two of the gear units, while bearing maintenance – predicted to be required after 80,000 hours (10 years) in any case – has been carried out on seven units in the last three years. Steve commented:

“I’ve just examined the units as part of their regular maintenance schedule and they’ve stood up well to the rigours of 24-hour-a-day use. Their superior design has helped minimise their long-term wear. I’d certainly pit these against any like-for-like competitors’ units on the market today and be confident they would provide the customer with reliability, great performance and maximum asset life.”

The Eon-run, Yorkshire Windpower-owned site has been operational for almost 13 years, when the Flender gear units were originally installed. Each 30-metre tall turbine at Ovenden Moor produces 400 kW through the Flender helical gear units when operating at full rating. The renewable power is fed into the National Grid.