Advanced Materials for Lightweight Wind Turbine Systems - Proof of Market

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project will develop the economic case for the adoption of lightweight materials by thewind turbine industry. It will establish the financial benefits and thereby facilitate investmentin the development of lightweight turbine systems and structures.The catalyst for the introduction of light weight components is aluminium matrix composite(AMC) material. Comprising aluminium reinforced with continuous alumina fibres, AMC hasstrength and stiffness properties that exceed those of ferrous metals, at around half the weight.The use of AMC reinforcements, or inserts, within an aluminium casting (termed AAMC)produces enhanced stiffness versus a cast iron part, with no increase in package size. The UK,and CMT in particular, is a world leader in this technology.The technical feasibility of using these advanced materials for weight reduction wasestablished in a Northern Way funded project undertaken in 2010/11. The ‘LightweightTurbine Gearbox Feasibility Study’ demonstrated weight savings of over 25% in gearbox castcomponents by replacing cast iron with AAMC. The material is suitable for application tomany other turbine systems, in addition to the gearbox.An AAMC component will be more expensive than its cast iron or steel equivalent. However,by decreasing the weight of nacelle components, the costs of towers, installation andtransportation will reduce, lowering the capital and operational costs of wind farms,particularly those offshore. Operational savings will be achieved via improved durability andreliability.Generation of the economic case for weight reduction must include all of these factors,analysed to identify the cumulative cost savings for the wind farm operator and the returns oninvestment for the system supplier and turbine manufacturer. The project will identify thesystem that will benefit most from the use of AAMC, in terms of weight reduction andfunctional improvement, so as to provide a target for future product development.