RENEWABLE ENERGY
TIDAL TURBINE TECHNOLOGY
The next big wave in tidal turbine braking systems
areas of high tidal energy, these generators require reliable and robust braking systems to handle challenging environmental conditions, avoid shock loads in the drivetrain and protect all the various components. Tis is even more important in large infrastructures, such as 1MW units, to ensure optimal, round-the-clock speed control and stopping. Svendborg Brakes and its portfolio of advanced, high- quality braking solutions were chosen to address these needs and deliver an ideal tidal turbine set-up for installation at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)’s test site.
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Effective and robust tidal turbine generators must be able to successfully operate in the harsh and unstable conditions that characterise their operating environment. In particular, tidal turbines
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idal turbines leverage a practically inexhaustible renewable resource by converting the energy of tidal flows into electricity. Located in
must have the ability to control their speed, acceleration and deceleration at all times, even during power or generator failures. In these situations, braking mechanisms
are fundamental to avoid runaway conditions. In a short time, these can lead to overspeed of the entire equipment, resulting in extreme mechanical stress on the turbine and its blades. Responsive brakes can counteract these issues by applying a sufficient torque that maintains the rotational speed below the allowable limit. In addition to reacting quickly to faults and anomalies, braking systems should also prevent the turbine from coming to an immediate halt. To protect the brake pads and the entire drivetrain, ‘soft braking’, i.e. stopping the machine in a gradual and controlled way, should be preferred. Finally, as any piece of equipment in tidal turbines, the braking system must comply with DNVGL–SE-0163 and DNVGL-ST-0164 standards to
ensure it meets set specifications and quality benchmarks.
DESIGNING AN IDEAL BRAKING SYSTEM A leading producer of tidal turbines was building a large 1MW unit for installation at EMEC’s wave test site in Billia Croo, off the west coast of Orkney. Te manufacturer wanted a regulatory-compliant, advanced braking system able to minimise the effects of unexpected power or generator failures on its operations. To address these needs, Svendborg Brakes was asked to develop a suitable solution.
Te two businesses successfully collaborated in the past on a smaller 300kW tidal turbine. During this project, the turbine manufacturer was impressed with the Svendborg Brakes’ extensive experience in the production and supply of advanced braking solutions, even to the most demanding industries. To create an adequate braking system for the intended application, Svendborg Brakes
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