England
Noise control for transformers West of Duddon Sands Offshore Wind Farm
On behalf of Royal Smit Transformers, Merford Noise Control has developed a set of sound-insulating enclosures for the large power transformers and shunt reactors of an offshore wind farm. The enclosures have been equipped with sound-insulated ventilation systems. This combination limits the emission of noise to a sound power level of 70 dB(A).
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Royal Smit Transformers
Transformers and reactors for offshore wind
Royal Smit Transformers has over 100 years of experience in the power transformer market and focuses on the global energy market. The West of Duddon Sands Offshore Wind Farm is located close to the Morecambe Bay in the eastern part of the Irish Sea and comprises 108 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 389MW. This ensures more than 270,000 UK households with clean renewable energy. For the onshore grid connection Smit supplied two transformers and two shunt reactors. Due to stringent noise requirements on site, Smit contracted Merford for the design, engineering, production and site assembly of four enclosures.
Project approach
During the pre-order stage Merford assisted Smit with noise calculations and 3D simulations of the enclosures. This provided the client with a realistic insight in the performance, accessibility and serviceability. When designing transformer or reactor enclosures, the functionality and access philosophy of the OEM and the end user are main focus. Absolute proof of functionality and noise reduction was provided in the FAT process, where the combination of units and enclosures are tested. The project was completed after a successful site assembly by Merford nearby Heysham (UK).
