Munters have assisted consultants, engineers and managers involved in the planning, operation and design of wind turbines to understand the application of desiccant dry air within the wind turbine.
One problem is the special climate required and understanding the influence of high humidity in the tower and machinery. Natural ventilation systems provide insufficient protection against condensation and the subsequent corrosive effects of high humidity. In offshore wind turbines, the problem is exacerbated due to the necessary closed nature of the turbine subjected to year round aggressive offshore conditions resulting in condensation effects.
The culprit is high humidity especially at sea, effecting the tower and the nacelle machinery area eg on doors, walls etc. during periods of stand still or breakdown. During daily cooling of the outside air or weather changes, moist air surrounding cold surfaces reaches the dew point and condensation forms which can then drip onto plant parts. Corrosion and humidity induced moisture puddles on the equipment can result in electrical and electronic short circuits in the switching equipment. Munters desiccant dehumidification systems supply dry air to the tower and machinery areas resulting in dry trouble-free operation, and increased longevity of machinery, walls and tower structures. Maintenance work on machinery and costs for repair are greatly reduced, enabling operators to recoup the investment in the desiccant system very quickly.