Extreme weather conditions require wind turbine gearboxes to be replaced about every eight years. A University of Iowa researcher K.K. Choi has developed computer software that he said could produce designs that decrease turbine repairs down to once every 20 years without added manufacturing costs.
Choi began his work making software in the 1990s when Ford Motor Co. requested the technology to make the Taurus automobile have a smooth, quiet ride and a lighter body for increased fuel efficiency. The design was never produced because the manufactured parts were so exact that the final product would have resulted in a $100,000 Ford Taurus (the current pricing model shows versions of the Taurus costing between $26,000 to $39,000).
The researcher began altering the software to allow parts of slightly different sizes to keep costs down. The Army sponsored his research for years after Ford, and the design was essentially used in military tanks like the Army Stryker – making it 20% lighter and 10 times more efficient. Choi will attempt to more than double the reliability of wind turbines to 20 years without repairs. The University of Iowa team of researchers is currently compiling wind measurements from around the globe. The software will run simulations to determine weaknesses in mechanical design.
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