Wind turbine collapse in Victoria, Australia

[hokie66]

As one wag says, these things are supposed to be wind turbines, not gentle breeze generators.

Wind turbine falls in Victorian storms prompting call for safety audit

Authorities are working to investigate the collapse of a wind turbine at the Berrybank Wind Farm, west of Geelong.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Garbage1]

Obviously the Program was NOT Inclusive Enough to ensure democracy won over mediocracy..........

 

[TugboatEng]

Hmm, Spanish company running wind turbines in Australia. Someone must be getting some nice kickbacks.

 

[dik]

As one wag says, these things are supposed to be wind turbines, not gentle breeze generators.

And with climate change, these 'gentle breezes' may be increasing in both frequency and intensity.

 

[GregLocock]

According to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), global warming is projected to cause a decline in average global wind speeds, a phenomenon sometimes called "global stilling," with potential decreases of up to 10% by 2100

The reason is obvious to anyone who understands thermodynamics.

 

[hokie66]

This article says the failure was in the blades, but the picture seems to show a clean break in the tower near the top. Maybe somebody forgot the bolts.

MSN

 

[stevenal]

The blades failed when the nacelle and blades hit the ground. Probably not designed for that condition.
Bolts are important. They keep nacelles in the air and airplanes pressurized.

 

[Diserian]

Wind speeds of up to 60kph(37mph), translate to Wind force 7. But it sounded like that was not continuous.

Beaufort scale - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Given that there are turbines whose rated wind speed is 34mph(§The rated, or nominal, wind speed is the speed at which the turbine produces power at its full capacity. ), I don't think that 37mph winds should stress the structure much.

https://docs.wind-watch.org/windturbinespecs.pdf

 

[EdStainless]

Often a blade fails and then the imbalance snaps off the tower.
Either a lightening strike or the blade brakes don't hold and a blade defects so much that it strikes the tower.

 

[GregLocock]

They are supposed to be designed for 108 km/h and 20 year life.

It was windy, but not anywhere close to unusual. Ed mentioned lightning, there has been a lot of dry lightning (and one super rainstorm) in the last week.

 

[dik]

Maybe somebody forgot the bolts.

...built by Boeing?

 

[dik]

global warming is projected to cause a decline in average global wind speeds

I'm trying to dig up a copy of their sixth report... but they do note:


Winds are generally caused by differences in heating/cooling... we'll try to find out... less of a breeze to cool you off as you get hotter?

 

[GregLocock]

Mr thread drift posts nothing about wind to a wind related thread. That's the polite version.

 

[Tomfh]

Someone forgot the Jesus pin

 

[Tomfh]

They are supposed to be designed for 108 km/h

I read that too. Someone obviously reading the wrong figure. They are designed to take far more than than before they fall apart. These things are hundreds of meters in the air, in open plains, on top of hills and ridges. 108kmh is nothing. You design a carport in inner city for that.

 

[Tomfh]

And with climate change

Linking an installation error causing a failure on a calm day to climate change is quite a stretch.

 

[GregLocock]

Yes, that 108 kph was from an 'expert' in the newspaper. Wiki says "The survival speed of commercial wind turbines ranges from 40 m/s (144 km/h, 89 MPH) to 72 m/s (259 km/h, 161 MPH), typically around 60 m/s (216 km/h, 134 MPH). Some turbines can survive 80 metres per second (290 km/h; 180 mph)."

 

[Just Some Nerd]

installation error

calm day

Are we reading the same article here? I don't see mention of any installation error, and it was the morning after a storm.

lobal warming is projected to cause a decline in average global wind speeds, a phenomenon sometimes called "global stilling," with potential decreases of up to 10% by 2100

This doesn't seem to relate much when it comes to failure under more intense wind conditions, would be more appropriate to examine the frequency/severity of stronger wind events. Average wind speed would be more relevant for fatigue concerns I imagine?

108kmh is nothing. You design a carport in inner city for that.

AS1170.2 for people's reference to Aus wind code, even in the lowest wind regions with a 1 year average return interval (top left cell) will get designed for a ballpark of 108 km/h (30m/s). Actually somewhat surprised they designed as low as 108, perhaps they had site specific data to justify it.

 

[Tomfh]

Are we reading the same article here?

The article said gusts of 60-70kmh, which is relatively calm given what these turbines can be expected to see, which means there was something wrong with the turbine, an installation error or similar.

Actually somewhat surprised they designed as low as 108, perhaps they had site specific data to justify it.

There is no chance it was designed for ultimate wind speed of 108kmh. These are tall structures on hills on open windy plains. Ultimate speeds would be around double that.

 

[GregLocock]

OK, the 108 comes from an ABC interview with an academic. He actually said at least 108, which I suppose aligns with your table

So the windmills in question are designed for




where


Maybe it was a hot day or accumulated thermal damage - we do get fry an egg on your car's roof days here. Class II wind gust is 160 km/h for a 1 year gust