The testing of the drivetrain for Adwen’s 8MW offshore wind turbine (AD 8-180) has begun at IWES Dynamic Nacelle Testing Laboratory (DyNaLab) in Bremerhaven (Germany).
The drivetrain is undergoing a test campaign that will last until the end of the year, as part of the validation process, which will cover mechanical and electrical tests on the integral chain of the drivetrain and main tower components.
By simulating operational conditions for extreme and fatigue loads the tests will enable the validation of these key components. The process will also allow the validation of individual and fully integrated subsystems as well as the complete drivetrain operation at full power.
These tests are paramount to shorten the field test campaign and speed-up the certification of the turbine, Adwen said.
After this first part of the full drivetrain test campaign is concluded, the complete AD 8-180 nacelle will be installed in the prototype, currently being assembled in Bremerhaven, and will be transported to IWES DyNaLab, where it will be subjected to final tests and checks before the prototype is installed in Bremerhaven by the end of this year.