ME 7363 ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

REPORT ON

FIELD VISIT TO HAMBANTHOTA WIND FARM

And
SOLAR POWER PLANT

NAME

KULATHUNGA H.G.G

REG NO

RU/E/2009/095

DATE

30/07/2013

Contents
1.0 Wind Power ....................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Wind Turbines ............................................................................................................... 1
1.1.1 Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) ............................................................ 1
1.1.2 Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT).................................................................. 1
1.2 Plant Specifications ....................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Operation and Maintenance ........................................................................................ 2
1.4 Social and Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Plant. ...................................... 3
1.5 Health Hazards of wind power plants ...................................................................... 3
1.7 Problems Encountered At The Wind Power Plant. ................................................. 3
2. Solar Power Plant ................................................................................................................ 4
2.1 Types of Photovoltaic Cells available in the plant. .................................................. 4
2.2 Power Plant Specifications........................................................................................... 4
2.3 Operation and Maintenance ........................................................................................ 5
2.4 Social and Environmental Impacts of the Solar Power Plants ............................... 5
2.5 Health Hazards of Solar Power Plants....................................................................... 5
2.6 Problem Encountered at the Solar Power Plant ....................................................... 5
3.0 References .......................................................................................................................... 6

1.0 Wind Power

Wind power is using from hundreds of years in farms for pumping water and
grinding grains. At that time wind mills were used to extract wind energy. In currently
there is trend to use wind power to generate electricity by rotating a wind turbine in
the world due to the reasons of as an alternative to fossil fuels, is plentiful, renewable,
widely distributed, clean, no greenhouse gas emissions, minimum land usage and less
environmental hazards.
1.1 Wind Turbines
A device that converts kinetic energy from the wind is called as a wind turbine and it
converts kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy and then it to electrical energy.
Generally there are two types of wind turbines, horizontal axis and vertical axis.
1.1.1 Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT)
More common type of the wind turbine of the wind turbine and its blades rotating on
an axis parallel to the ground and the axis of blade rotation is parallel to the wind
flow. Mainly there are two types of HAWT type wind turbines are available and those
are Up-Wind Turbine and Down-Wind Turbine. In the Hambanthota wind farm, it is
also established five number of fixed pitch type horizontal axis wind turbines having
capable of 3MW power.

Figure 1.1 Types of Wind Turbines

1.1.2 Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT)
In vertical axis wind turbines blades rotating on an axis perpendicular to the ground
and it do not take the advantage of the higher wind speeds at higher elevations above
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the ground as well as horizontal axis turbines. Also the generator can be located at the
ground so it is great advantage compared to HWAT. Savonius Wind Turbine,
Flapping Panel Wind Turbine, Durries Wind Turbine and Giromill Wind Turbine are
more common examples for VAWT.
1.2 Plant Specifications
Turbine type
Generator type
Nominal rating
Nominal voltage
Frequency
Cut in wind speed
Cut-out wind speed
Survival wind
Rotor revolutions
Rotor diameter
Swept rotor area
Hub height
Tower
Brake system
Control system
weight

3-Bladed, stall regulated, grid connected

Asynchronous, 3-phase, 2- speed(1000/1500)
600kW
690V
50Hz
3.5m/s
25m/s
69m/s
27/18 rpm
43m
1452m2
46m
Painted, 24-edged, conical, tubular steel tower
Fail safe disc brake and blade tip brake
Self-diagnostic computer control
Tower-40t
Nacclle-19t
Rotor-13t

1.3 Operation and Maintenance

The installation of a wind power plant is highly cost but the operation and
maintenance costs are considerably low. In the hambanthota 3MW wind power plant,
the following maintenance activities are carried out.

Daily visiting to towers and check noise level and electrical system.

Replacement of worn out brake pads.

Tip brake repairing in once four year.

Annual turbine blade testing and repairing.

Lubrication oil changing and greasing of gear box, rotor and other items.

Refilling generator cooling water.

Regular maintenance activities of brake system and safety equipment.

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1.4 Social and Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Plant.

Land clearing for the construction of turbine platforms and for access roads.

Potential displacement and requiring resettlement due to land acquisition.

Changing of living patterns and income opportunities of people.

High noise level.

Badly effected to the natural habitats of birds and bats.

Local nuisance impacts like visual, noise, interference with radar,

telecommunication and aviation.

1.5 Health Hazards of wind power plants

The wind turbine cause to generate very low frequency sounds and infrasound
(blow 20Hz) and due to that the following hazards can be occurred.

Causing Amplitude Modulation (pulsation) of heard sounds.

Stimulating subconscious pathways.

Causing Endolymphatic Hydrops.

Possibly Potentiating Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

Wind-turbine syndrome.

1.6 Process of Starting and Shutting Down the Wind Turbine.

In the starting process of the wind turbine it rotates 60 degrees to the wind direction
to obtain initial torque and after it starts to rotate gradually it rotates to maintain the
operational conditions. In shutting down of the wind turbine it reduces the turbine
speed well below the cut in speed by applying blade tip brake as well as disc bake.
1.7 Problems Encountered At The Wind Power Plant.

Initially, replacing of brake pads are highly cost and currently they are locally
manufactured at low price.

For the inspection of blade and replacement of generator and turbine parts are
required a crane and it is highly costing.

For repairing and maintenance it requires skilled labors.

2. Solar Power Plant

Solar energy is also a renewable energy comes from radiant light and heat from sun
and is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating,
solar photovoltaic, solar thermal electricity, solar architecture and artificial
photosynthesis.
There are two grid connected solar power plants in hambantota with the capacity of
500kW and 733kW and those are the first such systems in Sri Lanka and the generated
power connected to the 33kV network of the Ceylon Electricity Board. It is consisting
220W photovoltaic panels and it 1 unit of generated power 20.70Rs.
2.1 Types of Photovoltaic Cells available in the plant.
There are two types of photovoltaic cells are available in the world market,
polycrystalline photovoltaic cells and monochrystalline photovoltaic cells. The 500kW
plant is using panels which are made from monochrystalline photovoltaic cells while
the 733kV plant is using panels which are made from polycrystalline photovoltaic
cells.
Polycrystalline photovoltaic cells are consisting of a number of different crystals,
fused together to make a single cell. The Monocrystalline photovoltaic cells are
constructed using one single crystal, cut from ingots and it gives the solar panel a
uniform appearance across the entire module. This type is more expensive than
polycrystalline type but more efficient.
2.2 Power Plant Specifications

Figure 2.1Panel Specifications

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The 500kW plant is located at the Baruthankanda, Hambanthota in area of

17,287.38m2. And it has 2156 solar panels each of having capacity of 230W. Panel
specifications are shown in the figure 2.1.
2.3 Operation and Maintenance
The initial cost of the plant is high and there is no any heavy maintenance activities. It
is needed to clean the panel surfaces in once a week for the proper operation. And also
for the monitoring and operating system like running inverters, required power and
that power is obtained from the national grid.
2.4 Social and Environmental Impacts of the Solar Power Plants
There are good and bad social and environmental impacts are available from solar
power plants.

Reduction of the CO2 emissions.

Reclamation of degraded land.

Reduction of the national dependency on fuel imports.

Diversification and security of energy supply.

Provision of significant job opportunities and working positions.

Acceleration of the rural electrification.

The high land consumption and resettlement due to land acquisition are some bad
impacts of solar power plants.
2.5 Health Hazards of Solar Power Plants

Solar photovoltaic panels may contain hazardous materials that could be

released when a panel is damaged or disposed of improperly.
Arc flashes.
Thermal burn hazards.

2.6 Problem Encountered at the Solar Power Plant

For the usefully operation of the plant it requires power form the national grid. So
therefore it cannot operate solar power plant when the grid power is not available.

3.0 References
1. http://oto2.wustl.edu/cochlea/wind.html
2. http://www.enviroshop.com.au/info/36
3. http://www.c-changes.com/types-of-solar-panel
4. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/positive-negative-effects-solar-energy79619.html
5. https://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/solar.html