scope:

The VDI 3834 series of guidelines provides information about the measurement and evaluation of the mechanical vibration of wind turbines and their components. It applies to WTs with rated generator outputs exceeding 100 kW and the following design and operation characteristics:

• siting onshore or off the coast (offshore)

• installation on supporting systems (tower and foundation) made of steel and concrete

• horizontal-axis rotor with several rotor blades

• rotor bearing separate from or integrated into the gearbox

• generators driven via gearbox or direct driven

• generators of the synchronous or asynchronous type generators with only a fixed pole number or which are pole-changeable for speed adjustment

• output control by rotor blade adjustment pitch or stall

• generator coupled to the power grid via converter or directly.

The present guideline applies to Group 1 WTs. In Section 5 will be found the guide values for evaluating vibration in the stable generating range, but for the time being only for nominal outputs of ≤ 3 MW or less.

VDI 3834 Part 2 for Group 2 WTs is currently in preparation and a small amount of measured data is already available.

It has not yet been possible to collect any data for offshore WTs (Group 3 and Group 4).

The VDI 3834 guideline series does not apply to acceptance measurements at gearboxes and generators in the manufacturer's test facilities. These should be assessed on the basis of the appropriate standards, namely, ISO 8579-2 and DIN EN 60034-14.

The guide values given in Section 5 are not suitable for the early detection of faults. The VDI 3834 series of guidelines does not apply to the evaluation of torsional vibration in the drive train nor to the state of the roller bearings and gears. Notes on the measurement and evaluation of structure-borne sound with roller bearings may be found in guideline VDI 3832. Information on the type and implementation of condition monitoring systems for WTs is given in Section 7.2.