As wind turbine capacity continues to grow, so does the need to test the electrical and mechanical power-producing components of those turbines. Currently, only a few test facilities worldwide have the capability to test wind turbine drivetrains with capacity ratings up to 5MW— and the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is now one of them.
The NWTC’s new dynamometer test facility, which opened in November, simulates operating field conditions to assess the reliability and performance of wind turbine prototypes and commercial machines, thereby reducing deployment time, failures, and maintenance or replacement costs. Funded with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, the 5MW dynamometer will provide the ability to test wind turbine drivetrains and connect those drivetrains directly to the electricity grid or through a controllable grid interface (CGI). The CGI tests the low-voltage ride-through capability of a drivetrain as well as its response to faults and other abnormal grid conditions.
With the new dynamometer, turbine manufacturers and industry professionals can have their wind turbine drivetrains tested in a controlled environment—saving time, money, and risk. Jim Green, project manager, said, “The new dynamometer more than doubles the capacity (rated power) of wind turbine drivetrains that can be tested at the NWTC, which is sufficient to test the largest drivetrains envisioned for land-based markets. It will have the capability to simulate wind loads in six degrees-of-freedom, providing the most complete simulation of wind turbine operating conditions available in North America.”
The dynamometer’s first test article, a GE Energy 2.75-MW wind turbine weighing more than 96 tons, was delivered to the NWTC in August and used for the commissioning in September.
For more information, visit www.nrel.gov/wind.
