Simulation technology used for wind turbines
A
LMS International product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Oct 11, 2007
TUV SUD is implementing the LMS Virtual.Lab durability software to identify fatigue hotspots and assess their effect on component reliability.
TUV SUD Industrie Service is implementing LMS Virtual.Lab simulation technology in support of its type certification services for wind turbines.
Simulation-based processes to efficiently certify wind turbine designs are being established by the firm in response to growing demands for wind-powered electrical generation, which has quadrupled from 2000 to 2006 and is predicted to more than double by 2010, according to the World Wind Energy Association.
To become operational, wind turbines must be certified for structural integrity and safety in withstanding routine cyclic loads as well as extreme weather conditions and random high-impact forces hitting the structures.
The global need for wind turbine certification is increasing significantly, especially in Germany which has an installed wind power output of 20,900MW and ranks number one in the world for electrical generation from wind turbines.
TUV engineers engage in testing, inspection, design review, approval and calculations such as stress analysis, structural dynamics and life cycle assessment.
In support of its wind turbine certification work, TUV SUD is implementing the LMS Virtual.Lab durability software to identify fatigue hotspots and assess their effect on component reliability.
The wind turbines have to withstand many years of ever changing wind conditions.
All these have to be simulated to achieve a reliable fatigue result.
The process begins with the finite element model of the component to be certified.
For fatigue life prediction all the wind load conditions need to be simulated and the damaging effect accumulated.
The LMS durability software makes use of templates and scripting features using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to handle this complex set-up efficiently.
"Capturing best practices and automating repetitive tasks in the fatigue life prediction process saves significant time, reduces the chance for errors and ensures that we consistently follow standard procedures in our certification of wind turbines" according to Albert Limmer from TUV SUD.
He notes that the scripting feature is particularly beneficial in integrating LMS Virtual.Lab with in-house and specialty applications used by TUV SUD.
After computation of fatigue life, results are automatically post-processed with colour-coded plots clearly showing areas of excessive fatigue concentration and predicted time-to-failure for the component.
Written reports with all relevant data included are then automatically created through LMS report generation capabilities.
"Using powerful automation and visualisation features, our engineers have found LMS Virtual.Lab to be exceptionally easy to use and a state of the art technology on which to base our wind-turbine certification process".
"Performing 'virtual certification' through analysis and simulation enables TUV SUD to evaluate more wind turbines faster and in far greater detail than is otherwise possible - or practical - through physical testing".
"In this way, we rely on LMS Virtual.Lab in meeting growing worldwide energy demands for an increased number of wind turbines that must operate safely and reliably for decades under extreme conditions".
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact LMS International
Tel +32 16 384 200
Other LMS International stories
-
LMS extends simulation capability of Ansys
LMS has introduced a range of LMS Virtual.Lab product packages adapted to extend the engineering performance simulation capability of Ansys. -
Simulation speeds maglev to early launch
Project has already reached its launch stage in just two short years thanks to a team totalling more than 300 researchers and engineers from 26 industrial, academic and research institutes. -
Simulation software aids Brazilian Air Force
The Brazilian Air Force is using LMS Test.Lab testing systems and LMS Virtual.Lab simulation software for vibration testing -
Software chosen for motor sport suspension design
LMS Virtual.Lab Motion has a special interface for building front and rear-axle suspension models, including flexible parts such as springs, bushing and dampers. -
Software streamlines appliance testing
The Electrolux acoustics research team uses LMS Virtual.Lab Acoustics to accelerate its analysis of structure borne noise and to eliminate noise issues as early as possible in the development cycle.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,449)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (527)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,113)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (469)
- Production line blowers and fans (66)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (950)
- Consultancy and Services (912)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,092)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (810)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (187)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (296)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (202)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,191)
- Plantwide control (1,344)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (574)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (390)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,411)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (2)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,288)
- Industrial Motors (500)
- Linear Drives and Motors (117)
- Precision Motors and Gears (424)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,078)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,237)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (567)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (701)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (640)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (1)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (371)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (714)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (426)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (817)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,277)
- 2D CAD software (202)
- 3D CAD software (1,167)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (574)
- Data, document management software (319)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Engineering Design Software (15)
- FEA and structural analysis software (374)
- File conversion software, data capture (356)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (336)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (323)
- PLM and collaboration software (655)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (264)
- Publishing and documentation software (234)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (204)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (937)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,176)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (434)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (848)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (571)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (360)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (409)
- Engineering Training Courses (452)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (178)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (284)
- Health and Safety Legislation (403)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,586)
-
Materials and Processing (3,011)
- Materials and components (2,250)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (291)
- Rapid Prototyping (465)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,580)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (482)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (502)
- Data loggers (423)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (639)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (747)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (448)
- Materials testing equipment (422)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (157)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (513)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,246)
-
Powertrain Design (3,667)
- Bearings (964)
- Chains and belts (332)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,460)
- Hydraulic Components (473)
- Lubricants (434)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,183)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (439)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (626)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (288)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (155)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (531)
- Linear Position Sensors (408)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (718)
- Pressure sensors (630)
- Proximity Sensors (708)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (557)
- Sensors (9)
- Temperature sensors (615)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,396)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,999)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,668)
