The perfect training tool for Wind Energy Technology from Power Generation to Operation & Maintenance
Wind Energy is the fastest growing renewable form of energy source in the world. To maximize benefits from this technology, engineering students and technicians must be educated with the science and operational methodologies of wind turbines. SpectraQuest’s Wind Turbine Simulator (WTS) has been designed to teach/learn the fundamental principles of wind energy technology from power generation to operation and maintanence. This turnkey system provides an ideal platform for teaching the detailed concepts of how to generate electricity from the wind, workings of electro-mechanical mechanisms, wind turbine control systems, nature of aerodynamic forces, data acquistion, sensors & instrumentation, along with condition monitoring & diagnostics. The innovative design allows the WTS to be used with and without the presence of wind such as in laboratory settings. The system features three blade horizontal-axis turbine hub, nacelle with planetary and parallel shaft gearbox, three independently actuated blades with ability to control the pitch, yaw control mechanism, a vertical tower, and a complete control console. The integrated package comes with a hands-on experimentation device, curriculum along with a full set of instrumentation to expedite learning. This turnkey system can be used for teaching multiple courses in wind turbine technology.
Smart Design Makes the WTS Versatile and Easy to Use
| The WTS is robust and designed to perform a variety of experiments to optimize the benefits on your investment. Modular design allows the user to configure WTS in many different ways. This feature enables instructors to use the same system in several courses for hands-on demonstrations to optimize student learning experience. The smart design of the WTS permits students to conduct controlled experiments first by varing one parameter at a time and changing several components simultaneously to mimic the reality. This approach is essential for explaining certain hard to understand underlying principles governing a bigger idea. The WTS system greatly suceed in this task because it is robust and each component is machined to a close tolerance. The WTS is comprehensive and is applicable in teaching several courses. It permits the illustration of the principle of conversion of mechanical energy to electricity; how to store energy using a battery and a charging device; perform maintenance tasks, teach assembly and inspection procedures; perform data acquisition and condition monitoring; instruct complex instrumentation such as slip ring and transducers; and learn turbine control system. Several theoretical concepts are also computer simulated to expedite learning. The effects of various paraments such as number, length and type of blades, wind speed, etc. on the efficiency of power generation can be easily demonstrated. |  |
Features
- All inclusive turnkey platform for teaching the fundamental principles – from power generation to operation & maintenance
- An ideal package for enhancing an existing program or developing a new Wind Energy Technology program
- Fully integrated system with step-by-step instructions for experimentation and curriculum applicable to teaching several courses
- Planetary and parallel shaft gearbox designed for teaching condition monitoring and diagnostics
- Robust, modular, and easy to configure for a variety of experiments
- Can be operated with and without wind such as in laboratory settings
- Realistic system consisting of a nacelle, turbine hub, planetary and parallel shaft gearbox, three independently actuated blades, a vertical tower, wind speed/direction sensors, a control console and power measurement system
The WTS system has a spacious modular design featuring versatility, operational simplicity, and robustness. Each component is machined to high tolerances so it can be operated without conflicting vibration and other complications. The most comprehensive device of its kind on the market, the WTS is useful for a broad range of applications for wind energy education. It is an effective tool for training beginning maintenance professionals and offering experienced technicians a way to upgrade their job skills and improve performance.
Perfect Hands-on Training Tool for Wind Turbine Technician & Training Programs
The WTS gives a hands-on experience to students and can be integrated with the standard curriculum. Various experiments can also be performed to illustrate the theory and reinforce the learning of difficult principles. Some of the experiments, but not limited to, are listed below:
- Perform controlled experiments to learn the effects of various components on electric power production and the performance of a wind turbine
- Measure voltage & current and compute power as a function of wind speed, direction, and blade geometry
- Conduct aerodynamics experiments to study the effects of blade design, air speed and direction, blade angle of attack, etc on power production
- Perform assembly/removal operations to enhance maintenance and repair skills on electro-mechanical components of a wind turbine
- Learn to install and use different transducers such as accelerometers, wind speed sensor, wind vane, slip rings, gears, bearings, motors, generators, etc.
- Measure the vibration signature of drive train and turbine bearings for condition monitoring and diagnostics
- Perform tests with PC based blade pitch and yaw control system to learn their effects on power production and develop automatic controls for power optimization
- Develop power characteristics curves of a generator with different shapes and number of blades, wind speed and turbulence
- Measure blade lift and drag forces, drive shaft torque, and the tower tilt forces as a function wind speed/direction, blade pitch angle, and other parameters
- Teach concepts of energy storage, DC to AC conversion, and series-parallel combination of generator output for distribution of produced power.
High Value Combination Packages
The WTS is available in various packages providing you with all the components necessary for a turnkey training system:
| Package # 1 : | Base WTS plus kits for enhanced power generation, control studies along with wind generator |
| Package # 2C : | Base WTS plus kits for enhanced power generation, control studies, condition monitoring and diagnostics along with wind generator |
| Package # 2F : | Base WTS plus kits for enhanced power generation, control, force and torque measurement studies along with wind generator |
| Package # 3 : | Base WTS plus kits for enhanced power generation, control, force and torque measurement studies, condition monitoring and diagnostics along with wind generator |
| Option kit | | PKG 1 | PKG 2C | PKG 2F | PKG 3 |
|---|
| Power Generation/Conversion Module | WT-PGCM | x | x | x | x |
| Wind Measurement & Control System | WT-MCS | x | x | x | x |
| Blades Module | WT-BM | x | x | x | x |
| Hubs Module | WT-HM | x | x | x | x |
| Condition Monitoring and Diagnostics Instrumentation Module | WT-CMDS | | x | | x |
| Wind Generator Module | WT-WGM | x | x | x | x |
| Blade Lift and Drag Forces Measurement System | WT-LDFS | | | x | x |
| Defective Gears and Bearing Kit | WT-DGB | | x | | x |
| Turbine Drive Shaft Torque Measurement System | WT-TTM | | | x | x |
| Tower Tilt Force/Moment Measurement System | WT-TTFM | | | x | x |
