Wind turbine research with David Brown Gears
Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:08:00 GMT
Wind of change
STUDENTS at the University of Huddersfield will play their part in ensuring that British-based industry becomes a key player in the burgeoning UK and global market for wind turbine technology.
David Brown Gear Systems, the Huddersfield firm that is one of the longest-established and most respected in its field, has secured multi-million pound funding to establish a research and development centre that will focus on the gearboxes which are vital to wind turbines.
The project will create some 80 jobs and there will be a collaboration with the University of Huddersfield. Although the details have yet to be finalised, the likelihood is that a postgraduate student will be assigned to the David Brown research centre and there could be also be placements for engineering undergraduates. In addition, the specialist expertise of academic staff and their facilities at the University could be sought.
The wind turbine market, in the UK and globally, is massive and it is growing fast. But there have been fears that Britain – despite the fact that it is the world’s biggest market for offshore turbines – might miss out on the economic benefits if it fails to establish a manufacturing presence in the field.
This is where David Brown Gear Systems comes in. In 2008, the long-established company’s new owners, the entrepreneurial engineering business Clyde Blowers, decided that Brown’s should enter the wind turbine market. A new division was established, now headed by Ian Farquhar (pictured), who has been the company’s MD for Wind Energy for the past 15 months.
He explains how David Brown have begun to establish a global presence in the wind turbine industry, first by servicing gearboxes made by other companies, analysing the problems they encountered and offering sophisticated upgrades and other improvements that would bring about massive improvements in reliability. Not only is gearbox failure costly because its turbine has to be shut down, but repairs can be exceptionally difficult and expensive.
In order to improve reliability, David Brown will set up its research and development centre, funded by £2.8 million of the company’s own money, alongside £2 million awarded by the Government via its Regional Growth Fund. The deal was announced when Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable made a high-profile visit to the David Brown factory in Huddersfield. On the same day, Dr Cable also visited then moved on to the University, where he inspected its new £8 million EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Advanced Metrology.
The plan is for David Brown to construct new facilities in the Huddersfield area, one of which will house a specialist test rig which will simulate the operation of a wind turbine capable of generating 3.6megawatts of electricity. This is significantly in excess of the power load from a typical on-shore turbine.
“This means we can significantly overload the gearbox, and see how it would work in extreme weather conditions,” explained Ian Farquhar. It will also be possible to simulate lengthy time periods, so that the rigours of ten years could be observed over the course of a few months.
The quest is for ultra-reliable, long-lived and easily serviceable turbine gearboxes. Researchers will be examining issues such as the best materials to use and the geometrical complexities of the gearboxes.
“This is a very exciting project with great job creation potential,” said Ian Farquhar. “Not only will the research enable us to develop a much more intelligent after-market services business, but it will also give us the vital knowledge that we can then use for the next generation of products.”
