For more than 10 years, wind power development has been growing continuously, with an intense race for innovation driven by increases in turbine size and offshore placement.

SAMCEF for Wind Turbines (S4WT) can be used at different stages in the wind turbine engineering process, and by different engineering teams (loads departments, transmission groups, component teams, integration programs...). A combination of dedicated graphical user interfaces and the high performance solver SAMCEF Mecano, make it perfectly suited to simulate flexible dynamics phenomena with high accuracy.
Forty years experience in modeling large flexible machines and ten years expertise in Wind Energy have been incorporated into a platform dedicated wholy to Wind Turbine simulation: S4WT. 

3 APPLICATIONS, 2 INTERFACES, 1 PRODUCT

S4WT can be used in different contexts depending on the targeted application:

• Load assessment that uses either simple models for fast computations or more detailed models for higher accuracy which will be used on the ultimate load cases which move determined using simple models;
• Mechanical components design (yaw, gearbox...) based on the Multi-Body Simulation features of S4WT;
• Structural components design (bedplate...) based on the Finite Elements features of S4WT.

S4WT comes with two Graphical User Interfaces: one dedicated to computation of loads on global models and one for local modeling of components:

• S4WT Desktop includes pre-embedded parameterized, global configurations that have been industrially validated for a range of turbines. Different models with varying levels of complexity exist for most components as well as pre-embedded certification load cases. 
  Being an open platform, new concepts for any number of components can be easily integrated (gearless and offshore turbines are therefore easily modeled);
• S4WT Modeler is a generic FEA pre-processor that can be used to build your own models of single components and make them ready to be automatically assembled with existing global models inside S4WT Desktop. This interface can also be used to run local analyses on the same components based on loads computed in S4WT Desktop.

Three possible applications, two interfaces but one single solver is running in all these cases. SAMCEF Mecano is a generic non-linear Finite Elements solver including Multi Body Simulation features perfectly suited for dynamic analyses of large flexible structures. Local or global modal analyses can be run from S4WT to compute resonance frequencies and corresponding mode shapes of single components as well as complete turbines. 

Dedicated post-processing tools include time plots, trajectories, spectrogram diagrams (waterfalls), extraction of ultimate loads... in addition to specific export bridges to post process your results using Flex 5 or Matlab.

Specific tools deduce fatigue and durability from transient results.

Your benefits:

• Reduced time to build first model using pre-embedded parameterized models. Different models of components or complete turbines are provided;
• A single platform for loads computation with two different goals:
• High computation speed models and embedded certification loadcases and scenarios;
• High accuracy models closely represen-ting the physics of your machine for detailed design purposes.
• Global analyses of complete machines or local analyses of single components available in the same environment;
• Rapid switch in a couple of clicks betwwen an onshore and an offshore machine;
• Ease in modelling and testing concepts thanks to software openness;
• Increased collaboration between different teams due to easy integration of new components into global models;
• Reuse of existing data through interfaces with Bladed and Flex 5;
• Unique advanced mechanical solver features to simulate complex phenomena;
• Dedicated post processing tools adhering to industrial standards;
• Reduction of design cycle resulting from reduced needs for physical testings;
• Reduction of costs due to faster design and improved reliability;
• One simple but powerful user-oriented software to develop your expertise and take advantage of your industrial know-how at simulation level.

KEY FEATURES:

• Offshore design parameters;
• Turbulent wind generator;
• BEM method for aeroelasticity;
  
• Parametric PID Controller with SCADA System;
• Direct use of control commands DLL files;
  
• Gear elements taking into account teeth stiffness, backlash, conical gears, helical gears, internal gears and the easy definition of complete planetary stages;
• All other transmission elements available (revolving joints, bearings...);
• Non-linear bearing models including clearances;
• Non-linear beam, shell and volume elements;
  
• Newmark and HHT time integration schemes;
• Automatic time step algorithms;
• Management of small (less than 100) and large numbers of Dofs (up to 100,000);
• The ability to mix FEM and MBS features in one model if requested;
  
• CAD geometry creation and import;
• Data assigned on geometry or mesh;
• Easy use of reduced models (Super Elements) generated inside S4WT or imported from other FEA packages;
• Automatic component assembly tool to connect to your own component to an existing global model;
• Load Cases manager with GL and IEC load cases;
• Different results available:
• Time response curves of loads in key elements (bearings, shafts, gears...);
• Animation of the complete turbine after transient or modal analysis;
• Display of the frequency content of a signal (FFT or Waterfall Diagrams);
• Fatigue post-processing on main components;
• Campbell diagrams;
• Stress distribution on structural components.

Services

This powerful dedicated software platform can also be obtained through a complete range of engineering services.

We offer: introductory training, advanced training, load computations, certification files, controller developments and engineering services from preliminary design phase to detailed design phase.

All services are provided by experienced engineers and experts working daily in the Wind Turbine Industry.

For more information, please contact SAMTECH offices or one of our worldwide distributors (www.samtech.com).

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