Stat-X® Fire Suppression Protects Wind Turbines in Chile
About the Project
SAESA, a large electrical power generator, distributor and transmitter, provides power to the region of Aysen, Chile. Aysen is a sparsely populated area of southern Chile with vast glaciers, fjords, islands, and snow-capped mountains. Power for this region is generated by a combination of wind farms, hydroelectric, and thermoelectric plants. The wind farms in this project are made up of VESTAS and Enercon wind turbines belonging to SAESA.
The Challenge
This is an extremely remote area; some of the installations are located on islands. It is difficult to install large, bulky systems such as FM-200, Novec 1230, CO2, or water-based solutions. Additionally, some of the wind turbines in this area are more than 120 feet above sea-level and are subject to low temperatures, snow, and high winds. The remote location and difficulty to get large equipment or systems to the wind turbine location was a key point in the decision-making process.
The Solution
Stat-X® fire suppression is the system of choice for these wind turbine installations because of its reliability, modular design, low maintenance, and simple installation in these remote locations. The generators are durable and rugged, able to withstand a variety of environmental challenges such as vibration within the turbine.
Cause of Fire in WTs
The main cause of fires are lightning strikes; however, mechanical, electrical or thermal issues can all contribute to a potential fire scenario in the gear box, transmission or lubrication oil or hydraulic oil lines. These events would cause fires that are difficult to fight with manual intervention or other conventional methods.
The Stat-X aerosol generators are protecting the nacelle enclosure in a total flooding configuration. This image shows the installation of two 2500E electrically activated units. The Stat-X generators can be spaced evenly throughout the enclosure, or like this one, they can be spaced closer based on the structural elements of the enclosure.
A thermally activated Stat-X generator is protecting this electrical cabinet at the base of the wind turbines.