Feb 14 2011
Alstom, power production equipment and service provider, and LM Wind Power, a wind turbine blade supplier, declared that they have contracted a partnership to formulate the worlds longest wind turbine blade.
The new unique blade is exclusively developed for the use with the 6 MW offshore wind turbine developed by Alstom.
LM Wind Power has deployed its team of specialists in developing the turbine blade with a special focus on its structural design, aerodynamics and related production process. It is estimated that the blade development work will consume around 20,000 hours of work by the team. LM Wind Power will use its exclusively formulated material combines to augment the intensity and sturdiness of the blades while making them very light in weight. The blades will boast an exclusively engineered structural design made for the Alstom turbine and its sleek patented GloBlade profile is anticipated to offer 4 to 5% increased annual power production. LM Wind validated the design of the blade in its own wind tunnel tailor-made to conduct tests on the aerodynamic properties of the wind turbine blades. LM Wind Power will manufacture the prototype blades at its Danish factory located in Lunderskov
Alstom’s 6 MW turbine incorporates advanced technologies to meet the adverse marine environment and to reduce the cost of energy (COE). The turbine comprises the exclusive and patented ALSTOM PURE TORQUE technology to defend the drive train of the generator from undue wind stresses and to augment the power performance of the generator. The novel permanent magnet direct drive systems incorporated in the turbine makes its design compact and light- weight thus reducing its maintenance costs and betters its functional efficiency.
Source: http://www.lmwindpower.com/