Xi Engineering Consultants Ltd, Edinburgh, UK
Xi Engineering Consultants Ltd specializes in complex vibration issues, like those caused by wind turbines. The meshing of teeth within the gearbox of a wind turbine can cause great vibrations which are perceived as excessive noise. This presents a problem as there are strict regulatory standards throughout Europe and North America limiting permissible noise from these structures.
Studying the design data lead engineers to conclude that this gearbox was the source of the noise and vibration, and that it was being amplified by the tower’s steel skin. Using a COMSOL model of the structure, they were able to locate hot spots where the noise was being amplified and test various solutions. The solution found was to use a specific material to coat the inside of the tower and reduce the amplification. Due to the materials high cost, they used COMSOL to determine the least amount of material necessary to keep the noise levels below the required standards.
Suggested Stories
Multiphysics Simulations Enable Development of Fast, Cheap MEMS-Based Bacteria Detector
Professor Mark Reed and his team at Yale University are using COMSOL Multiphysics to develop a MEMS-based solution for ...
Analysis of Subsea Umbilicals and Cables
JDR Cables designs-to-spec and manufactures subsea umbilical systems of cables and reelers for the oil and gas and ...
Improving Overhead Equipment Devices for a New Era of Railway Transportation
Using structural modeling and optimization, Raychem RPG designed an autotensioning device and modular cantilever for ...
Simulation Enables the Next Generation of Power Transformers and Shunt Reactors
From power generation to its distribution to end users, power transformers and shunt reactors are used throughout the ...
