Wind Project O&M and Safety Conference

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Floor Plan Buzz

Development of a Troubleshooting and Safety Simulator for Wind Technology Education (Room Paradise)

Effective troubleshooting is a critical skill that affects wind farm efficiency. However, many newly-hired wind turbine technicians lack sufficient training to use troubleshooting in a real-world environment, resulting in “grasping in the dark” to track down issues. Hands-on educational opportunities at the post-secondary level are limited, with only a few programs having access to utility-scale wind turbines for training students. Computer-based learning methods can help with the issue, but existing computerized training packages for the wind industry are not very well designed and interactive, limiting their appeal and effectiveness.
A web-based 3-D simulator is being developed to provide education modules and interactive troubleshooting scenarios that teach students effective troubleshooting techniques. The simulator features education modules for troubleshooting, safety, electrical, mechanical, and hydraulics. The simulator also ties SCADA systems to troubleshooting and provides a library of fault-based scenarios based on real life wind turbine scenarios to let students experience the challenges associated with troubleshooting in a real wind farm environment. This paper will discuss methodology and development associated with the project, and provide information on utilizing virtual training in the wind energy industry.