US: Adwen Chooses Sentient Science For Computational Gearbox Testing of 8MW Offshore Wind Turbine

Sentient Science has announced that it has signed an agreement with Adwen to validate the drivetrain for its next generation turbine of 8MW-rated power, which has the largest annual energy production (AEP) on the market with the highest nominal torque drivetrain and largest rotor.

Adwen, the second largest offshore wind turbine manufacturer in 2015 by market share, is a joint venture between France’s AREVA and Spain’s Gamesa, two global energy leaders that have come together to create a major player in the offshore wind industry.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sentient Science’s DigitalClone® computational testing software will be used to further validate the Adwen 8MW platform drivetrain’s design and standards.

DigitalClone® is designed to provide an exhaustive and comprehensive validation strategy in which thousands of gearbox validation test points are computationally created within weeks for a fraction of the cost of physical testing. This allows massive amounts of testing points and insights to be evaluated before physical testing begins.

According to Ward Thomas, CEO and President of Sentient Science, “Confidence in 20- to 30- year rotating equipment life is our crucial objective. The world’s largest equipment operators, gearbox and bearing manufacturers, as well as lubrication suppliers, are turning to Sentient to confirm that their products will lower the cost of energy by 1 cent per kWh on land and 5 cents per kWh offshore. Sentient is proud to help confirm and validate the system under design and to make sure that Adwen has the world’s most tested drivetrain before our friends at Fraunhofer begin their physical testing.”

Maite Basurto, Chief Technology Officer of Adwen said, “A front-end to our physical testing process with the newest computational test technology matches with our rigorous test and validation process, always with the final aim of increasing the reliability of the turbine. Using Sentient’s DigitalClone® is a first step in our extensive validation program. It will contribute to having a faster certification process and, finally, a more reliable turbine available in serial production in 2018.”

The United States government including National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and Department of Energy (DoE), has invested over $25 million in DigitalClone® to make it as accurate as physical testing. Today one in ten land-based wind turbines in the world are contracted to use the materials science- based DigitalClone® for Life Prediction & Life Extension, “Buy on Life” supply chain decisions and 30-year risk and failure analysis.