hydraulic transmission for windturbines

1. Hydraulic transmission for wind turbines
21 April 2009
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ChapDrive today
• Established - December 2006
• Hydraulic transmission for wind turbines
• Workshop and HQ at Marienborg, NO
• Wind turbine test site at Valsneset
• Development department in Silkeborg, DK
• 19 employees and 4 consultants
• Shareholders:
Founders
Northzone Ventures
Hafslund Venture
StatoilHydro Venture
NTNU Technology Transfer
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2. Key management
Jens Anders Jensen, CEO
• Former CSO in Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Former Chairman and board member in Vestas companies world wide
• Former Chairman of the Danish Wind industry association
Knud Erik Thomsen, CTO
• 15 years in the R&D in Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Former Head of Mechanical Engineering in Vestas
• Former Head of Electrical Engineering in Vestas
Åsmund Furuseth, Vice president
• Co-founder, former CEO
• Developed ChapDrive from idea to company of today
Torben Bjerre Madsen, Board member
• Former deputy-CEO of Vestas Wind Systems
• Former CEO of NEG Micon
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Other key persons
Knud Andersen, Technical advisor
• Former COO in Vestas Wind Systems and NEG Micon
Prof. Peter Chapple and Prof. Ole Gunnar Dahlhaug
• Senior scientists and co-founders
• Leading experts on hydraulics and turbine technology
Per Olav Haarberg
• Senior scientist and co-founder
• Expert on hydraulics and generators
Thor Schjetne
• Senior project manager from the offshore industry
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3. Reduce top weight by 50 %
Standard wind turbine design
• Top weight ~ 250 - 400 ton (5 MW)
• Critical components in the nacelle
• Gearbox failures
Figure 1: Standard wind turbine
Worn-out gear in gearbox
ChapDrive design
• Top weight ~ 125 - 175 ton (5 MW)
• Critical components at foundation
• Eliminate gearbox
Figure 2: Wind turbine with hydraulic transmission
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Improved relability
ChapDrive hydraulic transmission
• Simplified maintenance
• Variable speed
• Synchronous generator
• No need for power electronics
• No reactive power from the grid
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4. Development status
225 kW field test 900 kW Pilot installation
Valsneset, test site Valsneset, test site
Successful test Erected September 2008
50 kW Lab test
NTNU University
300 kW in test rig
Marienborg
2005-2006 2007 2008 2009
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Next step
• Development and test of 5 MW hydraulic
transmission during 2009 - 2010
• 6 million Euro project funded by StatoilHydro and
Innovation Norway
• Positive results from the tests will initiate
development of a 5 MW pilot wind turbine with
hydraulic transmission
• Next funding round: 8 – 10 million Euro
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5. Target
• To supply hydraulic transmissions for wind
turbines and thereby:
– Reduce the top weight and improve the reliability,
safety and grid stability
– Enable introduction of larger multi MW wind
turbines to further reduce the cost of wind energy
– Thereby facilitate the utilization of the full
potential for off-shore and on-shore wind power
production
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