below is a news about wind tech from Europe
http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/articles/windoff/bus_news/080602_fraunhofer.html
HAMBURG, . Independent research body Fraunhofer is developing technologies for offshore wind parks, complete with testing hangars, computer aided testing systems, monitoring sensor systems and personnel training.
is planning wind parks both in the North and
Baltic
Seas
to add to its current 20,000 on-shore wind turbines. The German government envisages that these offshore wind parks will generate 25,000 MW by 2030, equivalent to 15% of ’s electricity requirement.
With such expected increases in the numbers of turbines, technology will need to develop quickly to improve efficiency and ensure robust technology. For example, turbine blade sizes currently measure 40-60 metres, and there are plans to develop blades up to 90 metres long; this will bring new challenges for materials science. (Currently, a rotor blade of 40-60 metres made of glass fibre composite material weighs around 50 tonnes. With even larger blades, lighter materials and new construction methods are called for. It is thought that carbon fibre may take over from fibre glass, as it is lighter at the same time as keeping strength).
To address the need for this testing, several organisations are investing in bespoke test sites for the windpower industry. One of these is NaREC in the , and another is the recently-opened Center for Wind Energy and Maritime Technology (CWMT), at Bremerhaven,
North Germany
- backed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Applied Materials Research (IFAM), and Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability (LBF).
“Offshore projects present real challenges to design engineers, manufacturers, and operators, because storms, rough seas, salt water, and the harsh climate subject the turbines to extreme stresses,” says Dr Hans-Gerd Busmann, head of CWMT.
One challenge for offshore wind is the repair and maintenance work necessary, which mean the demands for turbines to be more durable will be higher. “With our work, we want to ensure that the service life of wind turbines – including all the components from the foundations to the rotor blades – is assured for 20 years,” Busmann adds.
The CWMT is now building hangars for testing rotor blades of up to 90 metres in length, where they can be subjected to tough and lengthy endurance tests. At the same time the centre is developing computer-aided testing procedures for all parts of the wind turbine system, including rotor blades, nacelle, tower and foundations. Currently, prototypes of different tower constructions made of steel and concrete in
Bremerhaven
are being tested.
Once the turbines have been erected, it is important to be able to continuously monitor wind parks from land, and CWMT scientists are developing sensors for this purpose. And another major challenge facing the wind energy industry is where to find qualified personnel. With this in mind, Fraunhofer IFAM also offers training for employees who want to be Fibre-reinforced Plastic Technicians. The training course takes four weeks and involves practical as well as theoretical content, the company reports.
Large wind power generator parts such as: Rotor hub, Base frame, Torque support, Planet carrier, Bearing housing, Gear housing, Sealing cover and other ductile iron parts. Which are many exported to some wind power manufacturers at abroad.
