Swedish wind power company SeaTwirl has begun a research project with Chalmers and RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) aiming to investigate how to best design vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) to be as robust as possible.
The Analysis Methodology for Fatigue of Wind Turbine project, run by the Swedish Wind Power Technology Centre, will present a design methodology for fatigue assessment of vertical axis turbines, focusing on the turbine composite material and structure.
SeaTwirl said it aims at reaching cost-efficiency through a robust design, which means lower maintenance and a possibility to install the turbines at sites with rough conditions but wealthy wind resources.
The study is carried out within the Swedish Wind Power Technology Centre, where Chalmers is the host organization, and is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, Västra Götalandsregionen, Chalmers, RISE and SeaTwirl.
SeaTwirl's floating VAWT comprises a tower placed on an underwater structure consisting of a buoyancy component and a keel at its lowest point.
Last year, the company received a patent for its turbine by the European Patent Office (EPO), as well as a patent granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The 30kW SeaTwirl S1 prototype turbine was launched and installed at the Lysekil test site in Sweden in 2015, while the company is currently engaged in developing SeaTwirl S2, a full-scale unit due for completion in 2020.