Wind turbine reliability estimation for different assemblies and failure severity categories

Abstract

This study discusses the life-cycle analysis of wind turbines through the processing of operational data from three modern European wind farms. A methodology for supervisory control and data acquisition data processing has been developed combining previous research findings and experience from operational wind farms followed by statistical analysis of the results. The analysis was performed by dividing the wind turbine into assemblies and the failures events in severity categories. Depending on the failure severity category a different statistical methodology was applied, examining the reliability growth and the applicability of the 'bathtub curve' concept for wind turbine reliability analysis.