THE PROJECT

MEEVCE II's objectives

The main objective of this project is to generate the necessary knowledge to develop an evolutionary design methodology (based on physic-based models) that ensures the resilience and reliability of critical components in wind turbines (mainly those located in the rotor and the drivetrain).

This research project that forms part of the ELKARTEK programme will take a step forward in the evaluation of the system’s robustness and capacity to continue functioning in spite of the changes produced. Resilience is not currently considered to be a design criterion, but it could become a differential competitive parameter for wind component manufacturers in the future.

Sub-Objectives

  • 1Generate advanced models of critical turbine components in order to predict robustness and resilience in the design and operation phase for different scenarios and significant wind variations.

  • 2Devise, develop, design and operate downscaled test procedures or test benches, enabling future environmental conditions/loads (resulting from climate change) that will occur on a real scale to be reproduced on a laboratory scale.

  • 3Establish an evolutionary design methodology for wind turbine components to improve their resilience and reliability to variations in the operating region of the turbines.

  • 4Obtain a holistic multi-component turbine model that ensures the reliability and resilience of the whole turbine and of each component, providing a better understanding of both the interactions between components and the impact of the variation of abnormal loads on the turbine's performance.

Technological scope

Components

The components to be evaluated have been selected due to their criticality in relation to the mechanical failure rate and the high maintenance costs they may cause in case of breakage. Within the turbine rotor/drivetrain, the blade, the pitch bearing, the shaft and the multiplier are key load transmission components, whose degradation reduces the power capacity of the turbine.

Degradation

  Surface and sub-surface fracture

  Degradation / Breakage

  Erosion / Wear

1Validation tests in which full-scale failure modes are reproduced for all components and their associated models.

2Digital twins and their application within the holistic model, incorporating the performance of degraded components, their interaction and impact on the turbine.

3Evolutionary holistic model of the turbine that enables the effect of the degradation of the components to be estimated regarding the performance of the machine and the rest of the components.

Each partner will focus on the study and evolutionary modelling of at least one critical wind component. Although focused on different components, the degradation and technologies to be researched are common, so there is a clear shared interest in the different technologies covered by the project:

Degradation mechanisms

Wear

Wear is a common form of degradation in all rotor components of a wind turbine. Although not considered catastrophic, its impact on the turbine’s performance is significant. Surface blade wear, to be studied by MGEP, modifies the turbine’s aerodynamic performance, which in turn alters the power generation and loads borne by the blades and the rest of the components. Gear wear (IKERLAN) directly affects the capacity and resistance of these components to transmit torque and hence the mechanical power to the electrical generator. Other forms of degradation that also have an impact on the performance of these components, such as fatigue, must also be added.

  Erosion / Wear

Hardening and Tempering

The degradation of components caused by the initiation and propagation of cracks through fracture mechanics will be analysed by CEIT on the shaft surface, and by IKERLAN on the bearing raceway when the initiation is sub-surface (due to defects and impurities in the material).

  Surface and sub-surface fracture

Degradation of the internal elements of the bearing

The degradation of the internal elements of the bearing and their breakage will be analysed by BEARINN. Inside the bearing there are several moving elements that facilitate the rotational movement between the fixed and moving element. Breakage of these components can lead to malfunctioning of the bearing, and in a final state, can lead to the collapse of the pitch rotational movement.

  Degradation / Breakage

Technologies to be researched

  • 1The development of validation tests under laboratory conditions on a reduced scale and at a low cost, in which full-scale failure modes are reproduced are necessary for all components and their associated models.

  • 2The generation of digital twins and their application within a holistic model that incorporates the performance of degraded components, their interaction and their impact on the turbine is a technology that must be researched in order to address the need to extend the useful life of all the components contemplated in the project.

  • 3Furthermore, all the entities will collaborate in obtaining the holistic evolutionary model of the turbine that will enable the effect of the degradation of the components on the performance of the machine and the rest of the components to be estimated.

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Main indicators

15

indexed scientific journals

2

patent applications

8

potential transfer agreements with companies

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Advisory Board

Several Basque component producers will make up the Advisory Board to define specifications and share progress and experiences in extending the useful life of components. The Committee will also serve as a forum for the first phase of knowledge transfer generated during the project.

The MEEVCE II project has several Basque entities which have expressed their interest in forming part of its Advisory Board, due to the strategic nature of these research activities for them. Invitations have been drawn up with the aim of creating an Advisory Board that is representative of the different issues to be addressed:

Blade

Bearings

Multiplier

Shaft

Pitch system

Life extension engineering

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