Keeping Turbines Turning: Instrumentation For Offshore Wind Oil Systems
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Wind farms play an important role in the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure, and maintaining turbine availability and operational efficiency is critical to their performance.
Engine oil systems are central to turbine operation. Monitoring oil tank levels accurately gives operations teams full visibility of tank contents and allows them to identify issues before they affect performance. Transmitting this data back to an onshore control room via telemetry means that remote assets can be managed effectively without requiring unnecessary site visits.
A measurement challenge with no straightforward answer
The requirement was continuous level measurement of engine oil tanks within the turbine nacelles, with readings transmitted back onshore. The tanks varied in design across the wind farm, and available installation space was severely constrained.
Radar level measurement was the natural starting point, and performed well on a number of tank designs. Across the full range of tank variants, however, a combination of factors, such as the low dielectric constant of oil, very short measuring ranges and tight internal geometries, meant that radar was not a suitable solution in every case.
The engineers at VEGA worked openly with end-user engineers to identify an alternative. Bottom-mounted pressure measurement was identified as the most viable option, and the VEGABAR 82 pressure transmitter was selected for the application. Working closely with the end-user engineering team, installation constraints were reviewed in detail across every tank variant, and a workable approach was established throughout.
The right instrument for a demanding application
The VEGABAR 82 was well suited solution to what the application required. Its ceramic measuring cell provides high overload and vacuum resistance, which is important in an environment where access for maintenance or replacement is restricted and plant availability cannot be compromised. The instrument handles small measuring ranges at high accuracy, which is essential where oil levels need to be monitored precisely. The wear-free ceramic measuring cell also keeps ongoing maintenance requirements to a minimum: a significant consideration on offshore assets where intervention opportunities are limited.
The solution was trialled for a period of almost a year. Consistent measurement performance throughout that period, combined with reliable technical support at every stage, gave the team the confidence to proceed.
Why VEGA?
Across the project, the factors that mattered were technical suitability, a willingness to work through difficult installation constraints collaboratively, and consistent support over an extended trial period.
With 70 VEGABAR 82 pressure transmitters now installed and operational across the wind farm, the site engineers have the continuous visibility they need to manage oil levels remotely, protect critical turbine components, and keep their assets running efficiently.
+44 01444 870055
Comments