Wind Turbine Driven Component Reliability Testing via Virtual Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reliability testing methods for wind turbine components require a significant number of physical tests and lengthy test durations, leading to high costs and time inefficiencies, especially when producing components in small batches, which hampers the timely deployment of wind turbines in the market.
Innovation Solution
A method that combines physical success run testing with virtual testing, using a processor to calculate a minimum test duration for a subset of specimens and achieving a cumulative confidence level for reliability, thereby reducing the number of physical tests and test duration, allowing for faster production timelines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional physical reliability testing is conducted with a sufficient number of component samples to achieve desired confidence levels, then reliability assurance is improved, but testing cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual testing as a copy or simulation of physical testing. Virtual models replicate the behavior and failure modes of actual components, allowing reliability assessment without conducting extensive physical tests. This copying approach maintains reliability assurance while dramatically reducing testing time and resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial physical testing combined with virtual testing rather than complete physical testing of all component samples. By testing only a subset of samples physically and using virtual models for the remainder, the method achieves sufficient reliability confidence with reduced testing time and cost.
2Reliability
If conventional physical reliability testing is conducted with a sufficient number of component samples to achieve desired confidence levels, then reliability assurance is improved, but testing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual testing models serve as inexpensive copies of expensive physical testing. Once virtual models are created and validated, they can be used repeatedly to assess reliability of multiple component designs without incurring the high costs of physical test bench operations, equipment usage, and facility overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs partial physical testing combined with virtual testing, reducing the number of expensive physical tests required. This hybrid approach maintains reliability assurance while significantly lowering testing costs by replacing costly physical tests with more economical virtual simulations.
3Productivity
If the number of component samples for physical testing is reduced to lower costs and time, then testing efficiency is improved, but the achieved confidence level for reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual testing models compensate for the reduced number of physical tests by simulating the behavior of additional component samples. The virtual models extend the statistical basis for reliability confidence without requiring proportional increases in physical testing, thus maintaining confidence levels while improving testing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges physical testing results with virtual testing results to achieve the desired confidence level. By combining data from limited physical tests with simulations from virtual models, the method maintains statistical rigor and reliability confidence while requiring fewer physical component samples than conventional approaches.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is provided for testing a reliability of a plurality of driven components (22, 24, 30), such as those to be used as power train elements in one or more wind turbines. The method includes conducting physical success run testing on a test bench (42) of a first subset of test specimens (50) provided for the driven components (22, 24, 30), determining a minimum test duration needed for one of a second subset of test specimens (50) that will be required to confirm reliability of the driven components (22, 24, 30) at a predetermined target confidence level, and conducting physical success run testing of the second subset of the test specimens (50). The planning and evaluation of physical testing according to the methods described herein avoid excessive, unnecessary use of the test bench (42) and other resources. As such, results of desired confidence levels for operators of driven components (22, 24, 30) such as wind turbine operators can be reliably provided.