Turbine Manufacturing

摘要

Manufacturing today's high tech, wind-turbine nacelle can involve millions of dollars and hundreds of people in design, testing, production, and assembly. So to better understand what comes from the years invested in research and development to the final days of production, let's tour a modern turbine design and production facility. The nacelle is the part of the turbine that houses the components that transform kinetic energy into mechanical energy to turn a generator that produces electricity. The nacelle may look impressive from a distance, installed on top of its tall steel or concrete tower, but get closer and you see that utility-scale machines are truly massive. With power outputs ranging from 1.0 to 3.0 MW for onshore utility scale units, to the new, offshore giants rated 5.0 MW and beyond, nacelles can stretch to over 50-ft long, and weigh up to 300 tons and more depending on the manufacturer and power rating.