TiPA PTO performance passes German scrutiny

TiPA power take-off (PTO) performance testing (Photo: TiPA)

 
The direct drive power take-off (PTO) system – being developed as part of the TiPA project – has completed three months of performance testing at RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

The PTO subsystem underwent a ‘rigorous testing regime’ – designed by Nova Innovation and RWTH Aachen University – to test the performance, reliability, and survivability of the novel subsystem.

TiPA power take-off (PTO) performance testing (Photo: TiPA)

The subsystem has been returned to Nova Innovation’s manufacturing facility in Edinburgh where it will undergo a forensic inspection before being deployed for in-sea testing during winter 2018, according to project developers.

The completion of the PTO performance testing marks an important move forward for the Tidal Turbine Power Take-off Accelerator (TiPA) project, which received €4.4 million through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Program for research and innovation.

The TiPA consortium – led by Scottish company Nova Innovation which provided tidal turbine direct drive generator for the project – also includes Siemens, with the responsibility for the power electronics for the project.

Other consortium partners include SKF, the University of Edinburgh, RWTH Aachen University, Delft Technical University, and Wood Group.

The project – completing two year since its launch this month – has been organized around the development of the technology that would reduce lifetime costs of tidal power by 20%, and provide long-term system reliability.

Upon completion of the three-year project, a commercialization strategy will be developed, for selling and licensing the PTO to tidal energy technology developers and to explore potential uses outside the tidal sector.