Hydraulic pitch systems

A hydraulic pitch system acting as a main brake system in unusual weather conditions or extreme wind speeds, will minimize the risk of structural failure and accidents. The hydraulic pitch system is a vital part of modern wind turbines. It ensures continuous fine-tuning of the blade angles to the wind direction and power to optimize the turbine’s energy production.

The hydraulic pitch system fulfils three functions:
• Control of the pitch angle
• The fail-safe function
• Feedback on blade position

Our hydraulic pitch systems are engineered to meet the requirements. In order to minimize downtime, our hydraulic power units have various indicators for instant identification of any failure and preventing further damage. Thousands of installed hydraulic pitch systems around the world prove our reliability and high quality.
The hydraulic pitch systems consist of the following main components:
• Hydraulic pitch power unit
• Pitch cylinder
• Pitch accumulator(s)
• Control panel

Our hydraulic manifolds consolidate and optimize machine control brake functions. The manifolds are flexible, compact, vibration-resistant, and provide high performance reliability. The valves are 100% leak free. Depending on the required hydraulic pressure, manifolds are made from aluminium or steel. They are cleaned ultrasonically, vacuum dried and finished with an anodized treatment. This ensures maximum lifetime and quality.
Our hydraulic pitch cylinders are designed for extreme performances and environmental conditions. The seals applied are from the #1 sealing supplier Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. The cylinders have an integrated length transducer and “soft end” to reduce the piston speed when it approaches full extraction.
Tailored solutions and prototype:
Due to more than 30 years of experience, we typically work with first-class component manufacturers in the hydraulic sector. We never compromise on the quality of the components used in our hydraulic pitch systems. The design of each prototype is made by our R&D centre in the Netherlands and undergoes extensive testing. The prototypes are tested by simulating the actual and realistic circumstances in which the complete installation will function, including ambient temperatures, humidity, working conditions, etc. After the prototype test is completed and approved by the customer, we will start the serial production.
Serial production:
Every single one of our hydraulic pitch systems will undergo a full function test in our factory before being shipped to our customers. For these tests, we create a special test protocol which has to be approved by our customer. During the serial production, all hydraulic pitch systems are adjusted to the correct values specified in the test protocol, including pressure settings, flow volume, etc. Each hydraulic pitch system is delivered with a unique test certificate, together with an instruction and maintenance schedule. Currently, we have delivered thousands of hydraulic pitch systems all over the world, which are still in operation.