Wind Power

Industry Background

Wind power equipment, especially offshore wind power equipment, is exposed to harsh environments such as high salt spray, high humidity, large temperature differences, and difficult maintenance for a long time. Key components such as wind power gearboxes, generators, and tower flanges not only need to meet strict corrosion resistance requirements, but also often need to undergo long-term storage and transnational transportation from the manufacturer to the wind farm.

Industry Challenges

1.High-intensity corrosion of sea salt spray

Offshore wind farms are located in a marine environment. The concentration of salt spray in the air is extremely high, and the corrosion rate of metal parts is much higher than inland. The corrosion rate of ordinary alloy gears in the sea breeze environment can reach 0.12mm/year, and the protection period of traditional coating schemes cannot meet the design life requirements of more than 20 years.

2.Ultra-long storage period

For wind power projects, there is often a gap of several months or even more than a year from the equipment leaving the factory to on-site installation. When large components are left standing for long periods of time in open-air or semi-open-air storage yards, alternating temperature and humidity cycles increase the risk of protection failure.

3.Strict protection of precision components such as gearboxes

For high-precision components such as gears and bearings inside wind power gearboxes, traditional oil-based rust inhibitors will interfere with subsequent cleaning and testing before assembly, and the residues may affect the quality of lubricating oil.

4.Galvanic corrosion of multi-metal assemblies

Aluminum alloy, carbon steel, stainless steel and other materials coexist in wind power equipment, forming galvanic cells in humid or salt spray environments, accelerating the corrosion of low-potential metals.

5.Rust damage of spare parts in long-term storage

Wind farms usually stock a large number of spare parts to deal with unexpected failures, but these spare parts may be stored for several years. The protective effect of traditional anti-rust methods weakens during long-term storage, causing spare parts to be rusted when they are retrieved.

VCI Solution Value Proposition

Provide long-term, salt spray-resistant, multi-metal compatible all-round protection solutions to meet the full life cycle needs of wind power equipment from manufacturing, transportation to spare parts warehousing.

Recommended Solutions & Product Features

• VCI anti-rust film/bag (enhanced tear resistance type): high mechanical strength film material, suitable for the overall packaging of heavy components such as large gearboxes and generators.

• VCI anti-rust paper/anti-rust cloth: Large size covers large metal surfaces such as tower flanges and bearings, and is easy to stack between layers for protection.

• VCI anti-rust powder/emitter: It continuously releases VCI gas for a long time in a sealed package. It is suitable for precision gears, bearings, etc. that are sealed for a long time. The anti-rust period can reach more than 2 years.

• VCI anti-rust liquid: water-based spray formula, which can temporarily protect the surface of processed parts without affecting subsequent assembly after drying.

Expected Benefits

• The corrosion rate of offshore wind power components is reduced by more than 90% during transportation and storage.

• The reliability of long-term storage of spare parts is improved, and 'ready to use' during emergency maintenance.

• The risk of galvanic corrosion of multi-metal hybrid components is effectively controlled.