INTERNAL WIND TURBINE CLEANING | RAYACCESS, INC. 

Proudly Serving California Wind Farms Including San Gorgonio & Tehachapi Pass

RayAccess performs internal wind turbine cleaning to prevent hazardous working conditions inside a wind turbine. Routine maintenance is crucial in keeping a wind turbine functioning and RayAccess fills the gap so wind technicians can do their job. 

Only industrial rope access technicians can safely navigate all areas of a wind turbine. Contact RayAccess if you need internal cleaning, mold remediation, or fire tower refurbishment for your wind turbine. Our certified industrial rope access crew is trained and equipped to clean the inside of a wind turbine.

Why Interior Wind Turbine Cleaning Is Important:

Workers that repair and maintain wind turbines are called wind technicians or wind techs. According to the US Bureau of Labor, wind techs are one of the fastest growing occupations in the US with high salaries compared to their education requirements. As with most well paid jobs, there are trade offs. 

Wind technicians need to cope with intense working conditions such as poor ventilation, heat, humidity, and not be scared of heights or confined spaces. Given these working conditions, the interior of a turbine needs to be kept clean so dust, mold, and grease do not accumulate. Working conditions can easily become hazardous if the inside of a wind turbine is not cleaned regularly. RayAccess industrial rope access technicians perform interior wind turbine cleaning to prevent hazardous working conditions for wind techs.

What’s Inside A Wind Turbine?

Upon first thought of a wind turbine one usually thinks of the sight of a giant windmill with spinning blades. In order for these modern marvels to function, internal components need to function properly.  Wind techs repair and maintain all the mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems inside a wind turbine which include:  

Generator:

The inductor generator produces alternating current (AC) electricity when its rotor is turned faster than the synchronous speed.

Nacelle:

The nacelle is located at the top of the tower and holds the generator, gearbox, high and low speed spinning shafts, controller, and brake. Nacelles can be as large as a house. 

Rotor:

The rotor is the entire component consisting of the hub and three blades.

Pitch System:

The pitch system controls the rotor speed by adjusting the angle of blades with respect to the wind.

Yaw System:

Yaw drive & motor rotates the nacelle to enable upwind turbines to face the wind even when wind direction changes.

Power Cables:

Various cables transport electricity from the nacelle, down the tower, to a utility box located at the base of the tower.  From there, underground cables connect several wind turbines together to form a wind farm.

Metal Ladder:

A ladder inside a tubular steel tower reaches the nacelle. Since wind speed increases with height, the taller the tower the more energy the turbine can capture.

Wind Turbine Maintenance:

Similar to automobiles, wind turbines have routine maintenance schedules in order to minimize failure. For instance, every three months wind turbines undergo a multi checkpoint inspection, every six months oil in the gearbox is changed to maintain lubrication.

Climbing A Wind Turbine:

Most wind turbines are not equipped with lifts or elevators. Only a metal ladder is inside the hollow tower to provide a way to reach the nacelle. It’s crucial for the ladder to be clean and sturdy.  Any slip or fall can easily result in death. Dust, mold, and grease can accumulate given that the inside of the tower is a confined space. 

To safely clean the interior surfaces including the ladder, workers need to have fall protection support. Our team uses a system called industrial rope access.  

Industrial Rope Access for Interior Wind Turbine Cleaning:

Industrial Rope Access is a safe and efficient access method that was initially created by the oil exploration industry. Over 15 million hours of work has been completed using industrial rope access. Procedures have been put in place by regulating bodies (IRATA & SPRAT).  With rope access, workers can safely navigate and clean the entire interior of a wind turbine.

Alternative Services:

Wind Tower Painting:

Wind turbines have to deal with harsh weather conditions and corrosion can shorten their lifespan. RayAccess performs wind turbine painting. Painting wind turbines ensures a full life capacity of 30-35 years.

The RayAccess Difference:

Rope Access Certified:

We employ industrial rope access technicians, our crew is professionally trained and certified by  IRATA/SPRAT.

5 Star Reviews:

Check out our reviews, we hire experienced operations managers that provide a high level of coordination with our clients and front-line crew.

California Based:

In close proximity to leading wind turbine farms, RayAccess is conveniently located in Los Angeles.