Germany: PLUG connections shorten maintenance times for offshore wind energy plants

The pluggable components are quick to install and minimize waiting times.

In the towers of wind farms, the PLUG connection systems essentially link three components that are important for energy recovery: the wind turbine to the converter and the converter to the power transformer. More than 4,100 of these connections have been installed in the Global Tech I field. How reliably the PLUG system operates despite adverse weather conditions has been proven over many years of use in railroad applications, for which the system was first developed. Installed under the floor of the drivers' cabs – i.e. outside the vehicle – it withstands all weather conditions and severe vibration.

Fast, fault-free maintenance

The individual electrical components of wind energy plants can be connected to one another quickly and easily using PLUG. This is an advantage even during the initial installation, and even more so during costly offshore maintenance. The more efficiently the drive components, such as motors or converters, can be replaced, the shorter the plant downtimes. In comparison with conventional connecting elements, pluggable connections can be installed and removed considerably more quickly. In addition, PLUG prevents connection errors during maintenance work as the plugs and sockets are coded. They can only be joined together if the codings match.

A long life in several versions

With different plug sizes, PLUG covers a wide range of applications. Size P3 has been specifically designed for the wind energy sector. It has a maximum operating voltage of 6.6 kV, a high current capability of up to 1,250 A, and accepts cables with cross-sections of between 50 and 240 mm 2 . To meet the requirements of different installation spaces, there are one and two-cable elbow connectors as well as a single-pole straight connector. High-quality materials and silver-plated contacts that do not corrode at the transition points contribute to a long service life corresponding to that of the wind turbines themselves. The PLUG connections are vibration-resistant and shock-tested, protected against the ingress of foreign bodies and water, and they are also resistant to oil, petroleum, grease, and solvents. PLUG connection systems can be installed preassembled in wind energy plants or connected as modules on site, as is the case for the new twin-blade Skywind system. Pfisterer installed the connection system in the prototypes, while at the same time training the operator's fitters in the use of the system, using the tool specially developed by Pfisterer for the job.

PLUG connection systems safely convey high electrical outputs and are quick to install.