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A slip ring is a vital component of any electrical motors and without them the motor will not function, the premise of a slip ring is that it makes it possible to conduct power, signals, data or other inputs from a stationary source to rotating or spinning parts, i.e. motors and rotary devices which contain a rotor that spins inside them.
slip rings in wind turbines
Wind turbines are tall machinery composed of rotating blades and the nacelle along with all the supplementary components including the main shaft, gearbox and generator. As it involves a rotating motor, slip rings become requisite to conduct power and signals to it. Needless to say, wind turbines also fall under one of many applications of slip rings. wind turbine slip rings are relatively smaller than the generators or gearbox. However, it performs the crucial task of supplying power and other essential inputs to the rotating components, if it were to stop working or fail then the turbine will stop working.
The specific risks of wind turbines
Wind turbines work by rotation of the blades by the wind which generates power, to put it simply; essentially nature operates wind turbines, as a consequence, the machinery is subjected to enduring weather, wind and exposure very often. It is imperative that the components of a wind turbine have to be sturdy including the slip rings, otherwise, they will need frequent maintenance which is not cost-effective to the operators, or the apparatus can break down. slip ring manufacturer have invested a substantial amount on research and development to design durable slip rings with high-grade enduring materials that require less maintenance and deliver long-lasting performance.
The objectives for a long-lasting wind turbine slip ring
slip ring technology is evolving as we speak, as a breakthrough industrial component, it is warranted that a low maintenance, high efficiency and long-lasting slip ring would impact operations and profits positively. As per these objectives, manufacturers are building slip rings with specific materials and designs which can withstand the hostile environment of wind turbines. The materials that are used to make today's wind turbine slip rings are, especially, resistant to wear and tear or debris that is frequent in the adverse remote environments where wind turbines generally operate, there are prevalent issues of slip ring surface degradation or worn out slip ring brush heads which results in reduced conductance or even total shut down in extreme cases; the high-grade materials are, especially, resistant to these and ensure sustainable performance. In terms of efficiency, the modern slip rings can deliver higher wattage of power and reduce power losses.
Numerous factors can cause power losses, inefficient generation or transfer capacity in wind turbines, the newer slip rings have drastically reduced these concerns. This slip rings with stronger springs and metal brush heads are less prone to degradation or erosion and they clean the rings as they operate, leading to drastically reduced maintenance and replacement, they can also come with lifelong lubrication which almost eliminates the need for maintenance.