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C2  ·  26 words

Wind energy in French

A machine that spends its whole life out in the weather.

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From these 26 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

The second entry is la surface balayée, the disc the blades sweep through, and the verb behind it is balayer, to sweep with le balai, the broom. Away from the turbine that verb lives in two fixed phrases, and neither survives being carried across word for word. Balayer devant sa porte, to sweep in front of one’s own door, is said of somebody who lectures others while his own record is untidy: avant de donner des leçons, qu’il balaie devant sa porte. English says « put your own house in order », or reaches for glass houses, and leaves the broom out of it. The second is balayer d’un revers de main, to sweep aside with the back of the hand, which is how an argument, an objection or a proposal is dismissed without being examined. There the two languages nearly share a picture, since English also « brushes aside » an objection, but the French gesture is ruder: a flick of the wrist rather than a brush. Neither phrase has anything to do with rotors. On this page the verb is literal: the blades sweep a surface, and its size decides how much wind the machine can catch.

The words

Noun (f) (15)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

la pale du rotorthe rotor bladeNoun (f)C2
Une pale du rotor pèse plusieurs tonnes.One rotor blade on its own can weigh several tonnes.
la surface balayéethe swept areaNoun (f)C2
La surface balayée décide de l’énergie captée.How much energy the rotor catches depends on the swept area.
la nacellethe nacelleNoun (f)C2
La nacelle abrite la génératrice et le frein.Generator and brake are both housed in the nacelle.
la fondation treillisthe jacket foundationNoun (f)C2
La fondation treillis convient aux eaux plus profondes.Deeper water calls for a jacket foundation.
l’éolienne flottantethe floating turbineNoun (f)C2
L’éolienne flottante est retenue par des ancrages.Nothing but its moorings keeps the floating turbine in place.
l’intensité de turbulenceturbulence intensityNoun (f)C2
L’intensité de turbulence fatigue la machine.High turbulence intensity wears a machine out before its time.
la vitesse de démarragethe cut-in speedNoun (f)C2
En dessous de la vitesse de démarrage, le rotor reste immobile.The rotor does not turn until the wind reaches the cut-in speed.
la vitesse d’arrêtthe cut-out speedNoun (f)C2
La vitesse d’arrêt protège la machine dans la tempête.When a gale blows up, the cut-out speed is what saves the machine.
la courbe de puissancethe power curveNoun (f)C2
La courbe de puissance se vérifie sur le site même.A power curve has to be confirmed on the site itself.
la production annuelle d’énergiethe annual energy yieldNoun (f)C2
La production annuelle d’énergie se calcule avant la construction.The annual energy yield is worked out before a single foundation is poured.
la surveillance de l’étatcondition monitoringNoun (f)C2
La surveillance de l’état écoute les roulements.Condition monitoring keeps an ear on the bearings.
l’inspection des palesthe blade inspectionNoun (f)C2
L’inspection des pales se fait par drone.These days a drone carries out the blade inspection.
l’érosion du bord d’attaqueleading-edge erosionNoun (f)C2
L’érosion du bord d’attaque vient de la pluie.Rain, and nothing more exotic, is behind leading-edge erosion.
la protection contre la foudrelightning protectionNoun (f)C2
La protection contre la foudre conduit le courant jusqu’au sol.Lightning protection carries the current safely down into the ground.
l’ombre portée mouvanteshadow flickerNoun (f)C2
L’ombre portée mouvante gêne les maisons voisines.Shadow flicker is a nuisance for the houses next door.

Noun (m) (11)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

le calage des palesblade pitch controlNoun (m)C2
Le calage des pales limite la puissance par vent fort.In a strong wind, blade pitch control caps the output.
le système d’orientationthe yaw systemNoun (m)C2
Le système d’orientation tourne la nacelle face au vent.It is the yaw system that keeps the nacelle facing the wind.
l’entraînement directthe direct driveNoun (m)C2
L’entraînement direct se passe de multiplicateur.A direct drive does away with the gearbox altogether.
le mât de l’éoliennethe turbine towerNoun (m)C2
Le mât de l’éolienne est monté en tronçons.The turbine tower goes up one section at a time.
le monopieuthe monopileNoun (m)C2
Le monopieu est battu dans le fond marin.Before anything else, the monopile is driven deep into the seabed.
l’effet de sillagethe wake effectNoun (m)C2
L’effet de sillage prive la rangée suivante de vent.Because of the wake effect, the next row gets less wind.
l’atlas du ventthe wind atlasNoun (m)C2
L’atlas du vent sert au premier repérage.The first search for sites starts with the wind atlas.
l’arrêt pour les chauves-sourisbat curtailmentNoun (m)C2
L’arrêt pour les chauves-souris a lieu les nuits douces.Bat curtailment comes into force on mild nights.
le renouvellement du parcrepoweringNoun (m)C2
Le renouvellement du parc remplace de vieilles machines par moins de neuves.Repowering swaps old machines for a smaller number of new ones.
le code de raccordement au réseauthe grid codeNoun (m)C2
Le code de raccordement au réseau impose un comportement en cas de creux de tension.The grid code dictates how a turbine must behave during a voltage dip.
le navire d’installationthe installation vesselNoun (m)C2
Le navire d’installation se pose sur ses jambes.The installation vessel lifts itself clear of the water on its own legs.

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