Romax Technology (Romax) and CSR Qishuyan Institute (QYS) have successfully collaborated in the development of new, certified turbine gearboxes for the Chinese wind energy industry.
Following the successful development of a 1.65MW wind turbine gearbox, the two organisations went on to jointly design a 2.8MW wind turbine gearbox which recently passed stringent GL A-DA certification tests. The occasion marks a significant achievement and an important milestone for the collaboration.
The collaboration was established in 2008 with QYS undertaking some initial training at the UK head office. A programme for full technology transfer was then set up in 3 phases. Firstly, Romax provided specialist technical training on the design process to a team of QYS engineers. The second phase was one of joint design, where Romax worked along the QYS team to develop initial concepts and refine the design skills required. The project then moved into its final stage in which the two organisations worked on detailed designs and variations, taking into account local resources and capabilities.
Throughout the collaboration QYS utilised Romax’s specialist simulation technology tool RomaxWind to assist in the rapid development of gearbox design. As a result, QYS now has a capable and experienced design team and can supply the Chinese wind energy market with quality products.
Mr Jie Liu, the General Manager of QYS commented: "We have greatly benefitted from this collaboration. Romax’s world leading technologies combined with our local manufacturing abilities have resulted in high quality, durable and certified products. Romax has supported us throughout the whole lifecycle from raw material selection to supplier assessments, manufacturing process, quality control to mass production, allowing us to control costs, without compromising product quality".
Dr Peter Poon, CEO of Romax Technology said “It is a predictable success given the strong manufacturing background of QYS and Romax’s specialist engineering input. We are delighted to see the 2.8MW gearbox pass the GL A-DA certification tests and look forward to future collaborations with QYS. Together, we can explore greater potential in the Chinese wind market and continue this success.”