Innovative Future-Proof Testing Methods for Reliable Critical Components in Wind Turbines

Project Information

INNTERESTING

Grant agreement ID: 851245

DOI

10.3030/851245

Project closed

EC signature date 15 November 2019

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 31 December 2022

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 4 751 413,75

EU contribution

€ 4 751 413,75

Coordinated by

IKERLAN S. COOP
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INNTERESTING (Innovative Future-Proof Testing Methods for Reliable Critical Components in Wind Turbines)

Reporting period: 2021-07-01 to 2022-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The current wind market trend is to develop bigger, more powerful, with longer lifetime and more reliable wind turbines (2030-2050). INNTERESTING proposes a breakthrough hybrid methodology and disruptive design tools to demonstrate reliability and lifetime extension of large wind turbine components, eliminating the need of larger test-benches in the future. The INNTERESTING hybrid methodology and advanced design tools aim to help and boost European companies to exceptionally improve and accelerate their PDP. The lifetime and reliability values of real size components and structures will be predicted by smartly combining and scaling-up the results from innovative advanced virtual tests with results from tailored simplified physical scaled tests. The methodology will allow a more precise identification and location of critical failures to help engineers improve their designs in the weakest points, and therefore a more effective validation loop to accelerate time-to-market of new designs. Therefore, INNTERESTING project will contribute to increasing reliability and availability of large components and structure, reducing downtime and improving lifetime performance of wind turbine assets from European companies.

These ambitious goals will be achieved considering main operative objectives:
1) To develop a hybrid testing methodology able to robustly predict the expected reliability and lifetime of large wind turbine components (up to 20 MW12) without the need of performing physical tests of full-size prototypes (thus removing the need of large-scale testing infrastructures in the future). The methodology will be valid also for assessing reparation or replacement Solutions. It will be based in three main pillars: Simplified tailored physical testing, Advanced virtual testing and Smart fusion towards upscaling.
2) To develop design tools integrating cutting-edge models and technologies. Thanks to them, design loops will be drastically reduced and it will be possible to test many different specimens in shorter time and at reduced costs, thus increasing reliability of results. These tools will include different uncertainties sources for critical failure modes. They will allow to predict lifetime, reliability and failure of full-scale large bearings and gearboxes during PDP and will be valid also for assessing pitch bearing reparation or replacement solutions.
3) To bring two new ground-breaking designs of real wind turbine components to a TRL-4, proposing much higher load capacities and increased lifetime.
4) To validate the methodology in the assessment of a novel repair solution (patented) addressed to increase lifetime extension of already installed pitch bearing.
5) To reduce the environmental and economic impacts of the new wind energy concepts and increase social acceptance considering livelihood issues.
6) Replication of project results to other components and sectors.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

This is the work carried out during the period covered by the report:

* In WP1 the definition of the the technical, social, and environmental requirements of future wind turbines (2030-2050) and for the design tools and methodology to be developed within the project were carried out. The definitive concepts and pre-designs of the three case studies were also defined as well. The new pitch bearing (CS1) and gearbox concepts (CS2) for large wind turbines were predefined. The requirements needed for lifetime extension were also obtained analysing an innovative pitch bearing lifetime extension concept (CS3).
* In WP2 (Advanced virtual testing anf design tools for ensuring reliability): In this period the methodology to evaluate the variability on loading conditions in a farm between wind turbines is fully developed. The methodology for the induction hardening process applied to the raceway of the CS1 pitch bearing is also finished. The methodologies related virtual sensing are also developed.
* In WP3 (Simplified tailored physical testing):There are no finalized tasks, but in most of the tasks the tests are already started and first tested specimens are already obtained: flat and cylindrical samples under RCF, rolling element failure analysis, adhesive property evaluation, etc. Test concept on laboratory scale journal bearing tests are in the definition phase.
* In WP6 (Environmental, social and economic assessment): The objective of WP6 is to assess the environmental, social and economic life cycle impacts and to show the environmental, social and economic benefits of the project solutions. A three-part sustainability assessment will be performed – i.e. an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) – iteratively throughout the project in close interaction with the previous WPs. During the period covered, the definition and assestment of the BAU reference scenarios per case study was finalized.
* In WP7, the communication and dissemination plans was defined. A Stakeholder Working Group was created (currently formed by expert representatives of DNV-GL, GE, IBERDROLA, LORC, SIEMENS GAMESA, ORE CATAPULT, SIRRIS and VESTA) to assure the highest potential for innovation and market uptake for all activities during INNTERESTING. Communication and dissemination material to promote the project´s activities were developed.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The main advances beyond the state of the art in the project are:

* To lay the foundation for the case studies and requirements for the future WTs (2030-2050). This task has been essential when defining the new components, tests, and tools to be developed in the following WP. Each partner responsible for the CS (LAULAGUN, MOVENTAS and IKERLAN) has developed the concept based on these requirements. In the CS3, the developed concept is based on a new concept patented by LAULAGUN-IKERLAN.
* A method based upon in surrogate models have been successfully implemented for propagating the inputs of aeroelastic models to the fatigue load prediction of wind turbine structure.
* A stochastic fatigue assessment method that predict fatigue onset probability of failure has been developed which requires the same computational effort than a conventional damage-based approach.
* A fast simulation methodology for induction hardening process has been developed: the process methodology is applied on the raceways for the CS1 and afterwards the process effects are obtained (microstructure, hardness, and residual stresses)
* The development of a scalable modelling strategy for 4 and 8 point of contact ball bearings
* A method to perform sensor selection for the load estimation of bearings.

During the project, two Stakeholder groups were created in order to ensure the future social acceptance of new developed technology:
* a technical group and a sustainability group. Both had a first session held in September 2020 with participation of the consortium partners. Attendants to both meetings were feedback with regards to different issues. These comments are detailed in the minutes of each workshop and have been considered in following activities of the project. The Technical Advisory Board is formed by seven key sector stakeholders: GE offshore, LORC, ORE Catapult, VESTAS, Siemens Gamesa, DNV GL and Iberdrola (while there is an additional member, SIRRIS OWI Lab, which joined after the September meeting). The Sustainability Advisory Group had more than 30 participants from 20 different organisations.

INNTERESTING WP STRUCTURE

INNTERESTING HYBRID TESTING METHODOLOGY