On October 15, Chinese multinational heavy machinery manufacturer SANY Renewable Energy officially opened China’s first and world’s largest 35MW wind turbine test bed, ” Six Degrees of Freedom” and ” Back-to-Back Drivetrain “.
This state-of-the-art equipment is located at SANY ‘s Wind Power Test Center , where full life cycle simulations of wind turbines are performed, testing both their components and their performance under extreme conditions.
The world’s largest wind turbine test bed
[post_relacionado]It was developed with a 100% national supply chain , and has the capacity to subject turbines to stress tests in “six degrees of freedom” by means of six 100-ton hydraulic cylinders. These characteristics allow recreating multidirectional loads and the most complex weather conditions, such as typhoon-level winds, making this facility a world reference for testing large-scale wind turbines.
The Chinese company claims to use high-intensity accelerated fatigue testing, which has the capacity to simulate up to 20 years of wind farm operation, with just one year of testing . In other words, this technology provides turbine manufacturers and project developers with a faster and more reliable assessment of the long-term performance of their equipment.
For example, the capability of the large test system is not limited to complete turbines only. This test system extends to essential components such as generators , gearboxes , and main shafts , among others. With a maximum torque of 36 MN m and a bending moment of 80 MN m, it can perform extreme endurance tests, ensuring the robustness of wind turbines.
SANY’s European Director Paulo Fernando Soares highlighted this launch as part of the company’s commitment to being a key player in the global wind industry. ” Slowly everyone will know that we are serious about being a major global turbine OEM ,” said Soares. He also highlighted SANY’s progress with its new smart manufacturing facilities , innovative future equipment and an ESG program integrated into all company operations.
Chinese competition in the wind sector has been gaining momentum. According to Philip Totaro, CEO of IntelStor , a renewable energy analytics firm, Chinese companies like SANY are investing more in R&D and manufacturing of turbine components compared to their European counterparts, allowing them to establish themselves as technological leaders. Totaro explained that this testbed is a development that demonstrates to international investors that Chinese original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs ) are just as viable as their Western counterparts.
Recently, the company installed a 15 MW onshore wind turbine in Tongyu, Jilin Province, China, setting two world records: the largest unit capacity for an onshore turbine and the largest rotor diameter ever installed on an onshore turbine. This achievement cements SANY as a dominant player in large-scale wind turbine production.
The installation of this 15 MW turbine strengthens SANY’s growth in the wind energy sector, demonstrating its ability to innovate in testing and simulation, and to execute large-scale projects. With the continuous development of new technologies and facilities for renewable energy.
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Source and photo: Sany Renewable Energy | LinkedIn