Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Digital Twin-Based Approach for a Multi-objective Optimal Design of Wind Turbine Gearboxes

Version 1 : Received: 27 March 2024 / Approved: 28 March 2024 / Online: 28 March 2024 (14:30:15 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Llopis-Albert, C.; Rubio, F.; Devece, C.; García-Hurtado, D. Digital Twin-Based Approach for a Multi-Objective Optimal Design of Wind Turbine Gearboxes. Mathematics 2024, 12, 1383. Llopis-Albert, C.; Rubio, F.; Devece, C.; García-Hurtado, D. Digital Twin-Based Approach for a Multi-Objective Optimal Design of Wind Turbine Gearboxes. Mathematics 2024, 12, 1383.

Abstract

Wind turbines (WTs) are clean a renewable energy source that has been growing in popularity in recent years. Gearboxes are complex, expensive, and critical components of WT, which are subject to high maintenance costs and several stresses including high loads and harsh environments that can lead to failure with significant downtime and financial losses. This paper focuses on the development of a digital twin-based approach for the modelling and simulation of WT gearboxes with the aim to improve their design, diagnosis, operation, and maintenance by providing insights into their behavior under different operating conditions. Pow-erful commercial computer-aided design tools (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) software are embedded into a computationally efficient multi-objective optimization framework (modeFrontier) with the aim of maximizing the power density, compactness, performance, and reliability of the WT gearbox. This entails minimizing its weight, volume, and maximum stresses and strains achieved without compromising efficiency. The 3D CAD model of the WT gearbox is carried out using SolidWorks, the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to obtain the stresses and strains fields are modelled using Ansys Workbench, while the multibody kinematic and dynamic system is analyzed using MSC Adams. The method has been successfully applied to different case studies to find the optimal design and analyze the performance of the WT gearboxes. Simulation results can be used to identify potential failure modes and optimize gearbox design to improve performance, extend service life and relia-bility, thereby ensuring proper operation over its lifetime and reducing maintenance costs.

Keywords

digital twin; multi-objective optimization; multibody simulation; finite element analysis; structural optimization; wind turbine; gearbox

Subject

Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

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