HUSUM WindEnergy 2008
Romax - Stand no: 3C22
International engineering consultancy and software developer, Romax Technology has announced the development of two distinct business streams: transportation and energy. Having developed drivetrain solutions for the world’s largest automotive, off-highway and aerospace companies for over 19 years, Romax is also applying their knowledge and expertise of drivetrains, gearboxes and bearings, to provide solutions for the wind energy industry.
With a first class knowledge of mechanical systems, Romax is working alongside a wide client base within the wind industry in resolving turbine drivetrain issues. Unique to its consultancy is a ‘whole system’ approach that facilitates a vital understanding of all components and their interactions, leading to reliable and robust designs. This approach combines the quality of the company’s engineering team and the development of its wind-specific software tool RomaxWIND R12.6.
RomaxWIND R12.6 offers a complete environment for virtual product development and is an ‘all-in-one’ software tool tailored for wind turbine applications that encompasses the design, sizing and optimisation of drivetrain systems and components. The new software package will help wind energy companies develop more reliable, efficient and robust mechanical systems and is influenced by Romax’s consultancy work.
In the UK, Romax is undertaking technical investigation into the cause of failures in a number of offshore turbines for a major European energy company. Increased downtime and a reduction in revenue have led the energy company to look to Romax to identify faults, instigate short-term fixes and provide long-term solutions, to overcome inherent design faults in turbines. Grounded in practical engineering, design know-how and acute theoretical understanding, Romax is equipped to carry out such forensic investigations.
Another important wind energy market for Romax is Asia, which although young, is rapidly growing. The region is recognising its need to gain knowledge and expertise quickly, in order to develop effective technologies and is looking to the experience and knowledge of companies such as Romax to assist in satisfying the region’s renewable energy need.
One of China’s largest certification companies, China Classification Society (CCS), recently invited Romax to share its knowledge and expertise with the regions leading turbine manufacturers and operators. The company’s team visited CCS headquarters in Beijing, to demonstrate the capabilities and applications of their consultancy and software.
Following the success of the seminar, CCS purchased Romax’s software as a key tool in the development of its wind turbine certification business. The simulation and analysis tools are now essential in enabling CCS to accurately assess the reliability and safety of Chinese wind turbine designs, as part of the certification process.
Romax’s experience and knowledge has also been applied to one of Asia’s largest transformer and electric transmission system producers, Baoding Tianwei. The two companies completed a joint project to design the main rotor bearing housing for a 1.5MW wind turbine that recently passed the technical report, in readiness for the Germanischer Lloyd certification. Mr Zhang Wanxiang, vice general director of Tianwei, worked with Romax’s Dr Yongle Song, project manager and Mr Michael Barnes, principal engineer. “Working with Romax has allowed us to develop this critical component and take into account so many different factors within our design. The computer-aided engineering simulation has proved invaluable, giving us confidence in the design.”
Romax is also assisting component manufacturers and recently secured a project with Shanghai United Bearings, which intends to review and validate a wind turbine pitch and yaw bearing design for use in a 1.25MW turbine. During the course of the project, Shanghai United Bearings hope to learn from Romax’s extensive bearing design and development expertise.
Looking to the future, Romax firmly believes it is the collaboration with key users of Romax software and their global consultancy work, which will be fundamental in its success. “Collaborative working is central to the way in which Romax works and to the development of our skills and expertise,” said Andy Poon, director of Wind Energy at Romax Technology. One example is Romax’s work with INTEC to provide more detailed, but easy to use methods for transient dynamic simulation of gearboxes and drivelines, which can interface with Romax’s existing software solutions for NVH and durability.
“Our new wind specific software package has, in a large way, been derived from the consultancy work for large wind turbine drivetrain design that we have carried out coupled with speaking to industry leaders on important issues such as drivetrain dynamics and fast analysis of large flexible bearings.
Working together with our clients enables us to expand the skills and capabilities of our consultancy team and it also helps us to develop our products, making them invaluable to those who work with it.”
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