Turbine Manufacturing Industry Research Articles

Design and realization of a pre-production platform for wind turbine manufacturing

Addressing the challenge of rehearsing large-scale equipment assembly, particularly for oversized components like wind turbine towers, hubs, nacelles, and blades, which often face quality issues such as substandard workmanship and wide tolerances during on-site assembly, a system has been developed for simulating wind turbine assembly. This system enables digital wind turbine assembly by creating virtual and production process models and employing intelligent database analysis. It resolves the problem of the absence of pre-production for large-scale equipment, meets the batch production needs of the wind turbine manufacturing industry, enhances the safety of wind turbine operations, improves operator assembly skills, and boosts production efficiency. This platform has already been implemented in the wind turbine manufacturing industry, yielding significant economic benefits.

Optimisation of laser welding parameters to maximise the joint strength of laser weld stainless steel joints using a GA for geothermal plants

ABSTRACTLaser beam welding is vital in high-temperature fields such as the aerospace, automobile, and gas turbine manufacturing industries. In this article, parametric studies are carried out on Nd:YAG laser weldments that influence stainless steel 430 L weldment quality. A series of trial runs are organised to investigate input parameters such as peak power, frequency, speed, and time that impact output responses such as yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, shear strength, and elongation simultaneously. Trail runs on martensitic stainless steel AISI 430 L are conducted based on Taguchi experiments, and a regression equation is established. To yield optimum results, the process parameters are optimised by using the genetic algorithm optimisation technique. By conducting experimentation with optimum parameters, the output responses are compared with the optimum results 95% confidence level was obtained. The optimum levels for process variables are identified for quality weld peak power 160 kW, frequency 9 Hz, speed 3.33 mm/ms, and time 2.53 ms. Optical microscopy reveals that refined grains are formed in the weld zone with a grain size of 2.909 µm, and a scanning electron microscopy test is performed to study the morphology of AISI 430 L weldment specimen failure takes place at the interface of the weld metal.

Technological expertise as a driver of environmental technology diffusion through trade: Evidence from the wind turbine manufacturing industry

Only a small number of companies, located in a few countries, have specific technological expertise in wind turbine manufacturing. Such technological expertise is found to be a significant driver of trade in wind turbines. In addition, it is found that countries’ wind power generation efficiency depends on having access to higher quality wind turbines available in international markets. Trade in wind turbines can thus be seen as tantamount to trading (wind) technologies that deliver a level of efficiency that cannot be replicated in importing countries. These results have important policy implications: i) Barriers to trade in wind turbines are also barriers to the dissemination of key environmental technologies needed by countries where they have not been developed; ii) Trade-discriminatory measures can also be a hurdle to non-manufacturing job creation as the latter hinges on the continuous deployment of solar energy, which in turn depends on access to international markets where high quality wind turbines are found; iii) Industrial policies should not focus on the creation of national champions but rather on ensuring that domestic firms can apply their specific capabilities to new opportunities in global industries.

Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine Blades Manufacture with Composite Materials

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the wind turbine manufacturing industry through investigating the technological manufacturing process of a 2.5kW horizontal axis wind turbine’s (HAWT) blades. Composite materials, such as fiberglass and carbon fiber are engaged in the manufacturing process, due to their mechanical properties. The material selection process is discussed, motivating the choices based on several criteria, such as weight and tensile strength. The adopted technologies for the manufacturing process include layup method at ambient temperature and vacuum. Regarding the used moulds, these were previously manufactured using the infrastructure that NRDI COMOTI has at its disposal. Layups of fiberglass and carbon fiber are disposed in the aluminium alloy moulds. In the end, a layup of peel ply is placed upon the outer surface of the composite and the vacuum bag is applied and sealed. The outcome of this research consists of two parts. Firstly, the presented methodology, techniques and materials selection criteria represent a reliable source of information for future scientific papers on the matter. Secondly, the manufactured blades, after post-processing techniques, can be tested in relevant conditions in the aerodynamic tunnel and further studies can be conducted with the obtained results.

Harnessing innovation policy for industrial decarbonization: Capabilities and manufacturing in the wind and solar power sectors of China and India

This study examines how technological characteristics influence the impacts of policy on innovation with respect to wind turbine and solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing industries in China and India. The analysis draws on patent applications and government policies in the aforementioned industries from 2000–2017. Wind power and solar PV patents in China have increased rapidly since the mid-2000s, whereas patent numbers in India have remained low. Between 2000–2017, wind turbine was a design-intensive and cost-competitive technology. Consequently, building innovation capabilities in the wind turbine industry required technology-push policies to support research and development and tacit knowledge transfer, and demand-pull policies to create a sizeable, predictable, and performance-oriented domestic market. Solar PV was considered to be a manufacturing-intensive and more expensive technology. Thus, the PV manufacturing industry benefited from technology-push policies that promoted export-oriented manufacturing. While the domestic market played a supplementary role, demand-pull policies that focused on guaranteed investment returns (feed-in tariffs) helped to improve the innovation performance in solar PV. China balanced the implementation of technology-push and demand-pull policies that met these technology-specific requirements. On the contrary, India’s inadequate technology-push policies led to a lag in innovation in wind power and solar PV. Thus, policymakers need to strike a balance between technology-push and demand-pull policies, particularly by integrating innovation policies into a policy mix, and focus on technological characteristics as they determine the nature of the technological learning required to develop innovation capabilities.

Experimental investigation of dry and cryogenic broaching of AISI 4340 steel

ABSTRACT An attempt has been made to investigate, dry and cryogenic broaching of AISI 4340 steel, which is predominantly used in turbine and gear manufacturing industries. The components in these industries employ broaching for mass production, and minimal deviations are the preliminary goal. A cryogenic broaching setup was developed to conduct the experiment in pull-type broaching machining cycle. In cryogenic broaching an increase of microhardness by 4.26–18.77%, curtailment in cuttingtemperature by 46.85–65.12%, and attrition in surface roughness by 87.94–96.35% is observed in correlation with dry broaching of AISI 4340 steel. TOPSIS analysis conducted for the experimental run evaluated, cutting speed of 2.1 mm/min and depth of cut 8 mm as the close to ideal solution for dry and cryogenic broaching. In cryogenic broaching the surface morphology characteristics of the broached component are superior owing to the drop in temperature, curtailed lengths of the chips and colossal lubrication factor. This in turn causes, roughness value to drop by 54.11% in cryogenic broaching in correlation with dry broaching of AISI 4340 steel. Additionally, grain size in cryogenic broaching reduces by 10.93% and 7.72% in correlation with dry broaching and base material of the sample. With the curtailment of grain size, compressive residual factor increased by 32.43%, in cryogenic broaching in correlation with dry broaching of AISI 4340 steel. The rate of corrosion drops 34.29% in cryogenic broaching in comparison with dry broaching, this is owing to the fact of refined structure along with the reduction in grain size, and increase incompressive residual factor.

Strategic Analysis of Turbine Manufacturing Development in Achieving Required Local Content

The government of Indonesia has set up an electricity development program of 35,000 Mega Watt (MW) to provide adequate electricity infrastructure so that the 100% electrification ratio can be achieved. The construction of the development of power infrastructure has implications for the demand for reliable electrical components, which supports upstream to downstream industries. The turbine is one of the major components in electricity infrastructure which requires the supply of mechanical energy as the driving force. Despite its market potential, the turbine is a relatively high imported component, and this indicates the importance of fostering the development of turbine technology in Indonesia. The main objective of this study is to examine the capability of national turbine industries and research institutions in formulating policy recommendations to increase the use of the local content, called Tingkat Kemampuan Dalam Negeri (TKDN), in turbine manufacturing industries following the provisions stipulated in the Ministerial Decree No.54/M-IND/PER/03/2012 on Guidelines for Use of Products of State for Infrastructure Development in Electricity. This study applies SWOT and Balanced Scorecard, focusing on the analysis of capabilities of the turbine industry and identifying the mastery of turbine technology by various research and development institutions in Indonesia. The result of the study shows that the degree of BSC performance level in implementing the TKDN improvement strategy in the turbine industry is considered as less successful, therefore, short-term and long-term policy recommendation needs to be implemented to expedite the increase of TKDN.

Opportunities and Challenges of introducing Francis Turbine in Nepalese Micro Hydropower Projects

Despite the initiation of the master plan, envisioned by the government of Nepal, complete electrification of rural Nepal still seems over ambitious for quite a long time. Thus Micro Hydropower Plants (MHP) can still be very effective for rural electrification. Decades of manufacturing of same type turbines have saturated the turbine manufacturing industries of Nepal, which demands for some new innovations and that could be the introduction of Francis turbine in Nepalese MHP. It’s undeniable that there are umpteen opportunities for the turbine manufacturers to manufacture and install the Francis turbines in Nepalese MHP. The feasibility studies performed by different institutions and the government policy strengthen the claim. In addition to that, data received from, NMHDA and a local turbine manufacturing industry suggest that there are abundant sites suitable for installation of Francis turbine. This paper illustrates the need of introducing the Francis turbine in Nepalese MHP and discusses about the opportunities available for the turbine manufacturers to enter into the market of Francis turbines for micro hydro and subsequently for larger hydropower projects in the near future. The challenges associated with the introduction of Francis turbine in MHP are highlighted.

Comparison of nondestructive testing techniques for the inspection of wind turbine blades' spar caps

AbstractTo increase the energy conversion efficiency and power production, the size of wind turbine blades has continued to grow larger. As such, the need to identify defects and monitor the structural health becomes more critical to maintain reliability and prevent costly catastrophic failures. Larger blades are subject to an increased likelihood of operational damage and manufacturing defects. Usually, glass‐reinforced spar caps are inspected with the assistance of strong flashlights, while nondestructive testing (NDT) inspections are performed only on carbon‐reinforced blades which are not translucent. These operations provide qualitative information only. Therefore, there is a growing need for inspection techniques that can provide quantitative information for assessing the structural health of the blades. In recent years, different NDT techniques capable of accurately delivering surface and internal data have been developed. Nondestructive testing systems should be able to quickly and efficiently scan large areas, to be economically beneficial to the wind turbine manufacturing industry. Within this paper, 3 different NDT techniques for the inspection of manufactured wind turbine blades' spar caps are compared: terahertz inverse synthetic aperture radar, infrared thermography, and X‐ray imaging. Each is investigated to evaluate their ability to detect the presence of defects of concern that are created during the blade manufacturing process. Through a set of experimental tests, the advantages, challenges, and drawbacks of each used technique are evaluated and compared in the context of the needs of the wind turbine industry. This research provides the foundation of empirical comparisons that can lead to the development of more accurate NDT resulting in the construction of more reliable and less‐expensive wind turbine blades.

Adaptive tower damping control for offshore wind turbines

This paper deals with the problem of wind turbine tower damping control design and implementation in situations where the support structure parameters vary from their nominal design values. Such situations can, in practice, occur for onshore and especially offshore wind turbines and are attributed to aging, turbine installation, scour or marine sand dunes phenomena and biofouling. Practical experience of wind turbine manufacturing industry has shown that such effects are most easily quanti?ed in terms of the ?rst natural frequency of the turbine support structure. The paper brings forward a study regarding the amount to which nominal tower damping controller performance is affected by changes in the turbine natural frequency. Subsequently, an adaptive tower damping control loop is designed using linear parameter-varying control synthesis; the proposed tower damping controller depends on this varying parameter which is assumed throughout the study to be readily available. An investigation of the fatigue load reduction performance in comparison with the original tower damping control approach is given for a generic three-bladed horizontal-axis wind turbine. Copyright a#169; 2016 John Wiley aamp; Sons, Ltd.

Application of liquid nitrogen and spray mode of biodegradable vegetable cutting fluid with compressed air in order to reduce cutting fluid consumption in turning Inconel 740

Inconel 740, similar to other nickel-based superalloys, owing to its superior characteristics such as having high corrosion and heat resistance, can retain its mechanical and chemical properties in elevated temperature, therefore, it has extensive applications in aerospace, shipbuilding and turbine manufacturing industries. Nevertheless, very low heat transfer coefficient and high toughness, along with work hardening, can put these alloys in the category of hard-machining materials, and it may induce severe problems in increasing machining input parameters. Thereby, utilizing an appropriate cutting fluid is an indispensable part of the machining in these alloys. Making use of the cutting fluid can cause various problems, include environmental pollution, adverse effects on human health and high machining cost. Therefore, finding a way to reduce the cutting fluid consumption and a method to increase input parameters, such as cutting speed and feed rate, is of great importance in industry. In the present study, the influences of machining parameters on cutting forces, surface roughness and tool tip temperature have been investigated in two modes of cutting fluid application, flood mode and spray mode of liquid nitrogen with biodegradable vegetable cutting fluid in combination with compressed air, in order to make a dramatic reduction in the cutting fluid consumption. The results show that using liquid nitrogen in combination with spray mode of the cutting fluid and compressed air, not only can reduce the cutting forces and tool tip temperature, but also in all of the experiments, cutting fluid consumption is lower than flood mode, and it is possible to attain high cutting speeds and feed rates. It is worth mentioning that by making use of this approach it is feasible to measure temperatures via a thermal imager in order to control the machining process.

On the feasibility of a reduction in cutting fluid consumption via spray of biodegradable vegetable oil with compressed air in machining Inconel 706

Superalloys, such as Inconel 706, have extensive applications in aerospace and turbine manufacturing industries owing to their exceptional characteristics, especially high corrosion resistance and stability in elevated temperatures. However, they usually suffer from low coefficient of heat transfer, which can put them in the category of hard-machining alloys. Therefore, utilizing a cutting fluid is the indispensable part of superalloy machining process. Investigating the feasibility of reducing or even removing the cutting fluid plays a crucial role in the machining, since it may induce high machining costs, detrimental impacts on environment and endanger human health. In the present article, influences of machining parameters on forces, surface roughness and tool tip temperature were investigated in two modes of utilizing fluid, which were flood mode and spraying with compressed air, in order to reduce or eliminate the cutting fluid from turning process of Inconel 706. The results revealed that spray mode of cutting fluid in combination with compressed air can ameliorate the heat transfer problem. Moreover, in all of the experiments with spray mode, cutting forces, surface roughness and temperature of cutting area were significantly lower than using fluid with flood mode. This can result in a remarkable decrease in consumption of cutting fluid, which in turn, can solve the environmental issues. Furthermore, during machining with using cutting fluid in spray mode, it is possible to monitor the temperature of machining area via thermal imager in order to have an appropriate control over machining process. Eventually, optimum values of machining parameters were proposed for machining with spray mode of cutting fluid.

Accelerated internationalization and resource leverage strategizing: The case of Chinese wind turbine manufacturers

Accelerated internationalization is an important phenomenon in international business (IB), where it has been linked mainly with studies of born globals and patterns of internationalization utilized by small and medium-sized enterprises. Building on recent research on the (redefined) concept of speed of internationalization, we seek to extend the domain of accelerated internationalization to encompass cases where large firms in certain industries from emerging markets such as China and India globalize at an accelerated pace. We utilize cases from the Chinese wind turbine manufacturing industry to illustrate the process, and apply strategic reasoning based on resource leverage as a means of explaining such phenomena – complementing the extant frameworks based on microeconomic reasoning. We argue that both approaches are needed to make sense of the important empirical phenomena revealed by examination of the patterns of internationalization exhibited by emerging market multinationals.

Wind turbine manufacturing industry in China: Current situation and problems

With fast development of the global wind energy market in recent years, China is attaching greater importance to developing the wind power industry and increasing the proportion of wind energy. Currently, the cumulative installed capacity of wind turbines in China is listed among the top ranks in the world. Manufacturing industry is the key to development of wind energy. Although there is a relatively complete manufacturing and supply chain for wind turbines in China, including infrastructures for manufacture of almost all major parts, the design technology and key components of wind turbines still rely on imports. Therefore, problems still exist in the development of wind power industry. However, few papers focus on this aspect at present. In this paper, the current development of wind power industry in China is investigated, and exiting problems are discussed. The aim of this paper is to let more experts know the situation and do something for the wind power industry in China.

Prospects for global market expansion of China’s wind turbine manufacturing industry

Emerging economies are increasingly contributing to global innovation, including clean-tech innovation. The development of China’s wind power sector has often been used to illustrate this point. China’s domestic wind power market is the largest in the world and is largely supplied by domestic manufacturers. Competition for market share in the domestic market may pressure firms to innovate, which consecutively improves prospects for global expansion. This paper reviews developments in China’s domestic wind turbine market using the Technological Innovation System framework. We analyze the pressure to innovate arising from market competition and assess the prospects for global expansion of Chinese wind turbine manufacturers. We conclude that domestic customers are not pressured or incentivized to perform with respect to power output, such that turbine manufacturers are not pressured to perform with respect to turbine efficiency or maintenance needs. Pressure to innovate is further reduced by formalizing connections between wind farm developers and turbine manufacturers. Chinese turbine manufacturers cannot yet compete with leading global brands in technological leadership. The prospects for exports are improved, however, by the preferential supply of project financing from institutional investors, such as the China Development Bank, from Chinese utilities that seek global expansion and from the manufacturers themselves.

Evolution of collaborative innovation network in China's wind turbine manufacturing industry

This paper studies the ‘catching-up’ process of China’s emerging wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem, and analyses the dynamics of the shifting collaborative innovation network for the period 1980–2011. We have focused on the leading wind turbine manufacturers [i.e., manufacturers of entire wind turbine system integrators (EWSIs)], as well as manufacturers of the turbines’ sub-ecosystems (i.e., four key component provider manufacturers: blade, gearbox, generator and control system). A network analysis method was adopted to depict the evolutionary process of the wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem. In summary, this research explores: 1) the different technology accumulation/localisation patterns in four different phases of the manufacturing ecosystem, and the collaborative innovation network; 2) the different roles and their interactions in the wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem in China; 3) the driving forces of the evolution of the wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem. The findings aim to demonstrate the evolutionary trajectory of China in terms of the ‘catching-up’ of this industry, and contribute to theories of the business ecosystem lifecycle and complementary assets.

Political and institutional analysis of the successes and failures of China’s wind power policy

This paper identifies and explains how political and institutional factors have determined the relative successes and failures of China’s wind power policy over the period 2005–2011. It finds that China has made significant progress in pursuing its wind power policy in terms of cumulative installed capacity, wind turbine manufacturing industry development and wind turbine cost, and argues that these achievements can be attributed to the political motives and institutional arrangements of the Chinese government as well as to institutional changes. On the other hand, the paper finds that there are two prominent policy failures, namely the low proportion of grid-connected capacity and the rising trend of wind turbine incidents. These have undermined the efficiency and effectiveness of China’s wind power program. The paper holds that the institutional sources for the first policy failure lies in the preference for setting wind power development targets in terms of installed capacity rather than generation and in coordination problems while the second policy failure lies in the lack of state technical codes for wind power integration and the unfair competition from the large state-owned power companies. The paper contributes to the academic literature on the political and institutional roles in China’s wind power policy.

Factors influencing the technology upgrading and catch-up of Chinese wind turbine manufacturers: Technology acquisition mechanisms and government policies

This paper uses firm level data for the Chinese wind turbine manufacturing industry from 1998 to 2009 to quantify the effects of technology acquisition mechanisms – purchasing production licenses from foreign manufacturers, joint design with foreign design firms, joint-ventures and domestic R&D – on wind turbine manufacturers' technology levels (as measured by turbine size, in megawatts). It also examines the impacts of government policies on manufacturer technology levels. Technology upgrading (measured by increase of turbine size) and catch-up (measured by decrease in the distance to the world technology frontier in terms of turbine size) are used to measure advances in technology level. Results from econometric modeling studies indicate that firms' technology acquisition mechanisms and degree of business diversification are statistically significant factors in influencing technology upgrading. Similar results were found for the catch-up variable (i.e., distance to the world technology frontier). The influence of government policies is significant for technology upgrading but not catch-up. These and other modeling results are shown to have implications for both policymakers and wind turbine manufacturers.

Spatial Processes of Industry Emergence: US Wind Turbine Manufacturing Industry

This research seeks to understand the underlying locational resources and dynamics explaining the location and growth of new, environmental technology industries. Beginning with the location patterns of the US wind turbine manufacturing industry, this research uses demand, supply and policy factors to explain how the resources and dynamics of a location help shape its future industrial composition. The findings include the prominent role of demand factors, including wind power resources, existing installed wind power and electricity prices as well as supply factors, but the weakness of the influence of governmental policy. This research can assist companies, investors and policy-makers understand the spatial dynamics of industry emergence in order to better align their strategies and policies.

Behind the development of technology: The transition of innovation modes in China’s wind turbine manufacturing industry

The market scale of China’s wind turbine manufacturing industry has grown immensely. Despite China still having a limited capacity in terms of technology innovation, the institutional support has promoted the technology capability development of the wind turbine manufacturing industry. This paper explores the driving forces underlying this development by reviewing the transition of the innovation modes and the dynamic interactions among the technology capability, innovation modes, market formation, and wind energy policy. The innovation mode in China began with imitative innovation, then transitioned to cooperative innovation, and has more recently set its sights on attaining truly indigenous innovation. Public policy serves as a key driving force for the evolution of innovation modes, as well as the development of the market. The policy focus has evolved in the following sequence: 1. building the foundation for technological innovation; 2. encouraging technology transfer; 3. enhancing local R&D and manufacturing capabilities; 4. enlarging the domestic market; and 5. cultivating an open environment for global competition and sustainable market development in China.