Romax Technology is to receive funding as part of a Department of
Energy (DOE) funded project titled “Next Generation Medium Speed
Drivetrain Development for U.S. Land-Based and Off-Shore Wind Turbines”.
The project, headed by the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL) has a budget of $700,000 for Phase I, with Romax awarded a
proportion of that to apply its mechanical design expertise to develop a
technically advanced medium speed gearbox.
The project aims to reduce the cost of wind energy through increased
efficiency and reliability in key wind turbine components. Gearbox
failures have been a problem, yet the gearbox is a reliable workhorse
for many industries, as it brings a fundamental advantage by increasing
shaft speeds and thus reducing generator size. The project aims to
develop the optimum gearbox and generator combination to minimize
capital, replacement and overhaul and operation and maintenance costs.
Already part of NREL’s Gearbox Reliability Collaborative, Romax will
lead the mechanical team to investigate the application of advanced
technologies for the development of reliable medium speed gearboxes. The
gearbox will also drive a novel generator, with increased efficiency
and reliability, making the whole turbine more competitive in energy
generation.
The outcomes of the project will be shared with the U.S. wind
industry at large and, if successful, has the potential to influence the
design process of wind turbine drivetrains. In turn, it is hoped that
this will result in a new generation of more efficient turbines, and aid
in wind energy’s progression as a low cost, low carbon solution to
America’s electricity demand.
Ashley Crowther, Vice President of Engineering at Romax’s U.S.
Technical Centre commented, “This is a fantastic opportunity to apply
our proven gearbox design experience to addressing some of the key
challenges of the wind industry today. Working alongside NREL and the
other project members, we will strive to make significant advancements
in the efficiency and reliability of new generation medium speed
machines.”