Capital Safety announces the launch of the world’s next generation harness, the ExoFit NEX™. With first of its kind features and benefits, the harness provides the highest level of safety and the utmost comfort with technologically advanced hardware, soft yet extremely durable anti-absorbent webbing, strategically placed padding, and protective elements that prolong the service life of the harness.
“The original ExoFit, the industry’s first premium comfort harness, changed workers’ attitudes about fall protection. With the ExoFit NEX, we’re taking that to the next level,” says Nate Bohmbach, product manager for soft goods. “We’re turning the harness into a piece of equipment that workers will want to wear and that’s long-lasting. So we’re catering not only to the end user, but to the safety director and purchasing department as well.”

The technologically advanced hardware allows for a one-time adjustment that stays in place throughout the day and improves safety by ensuring a snug fit. The Duo-Lok™ quick-connect buckles now include a revolutionary locking mechanism to eliminate slippage and constant readjustment. Workers will no longer need to adjust their harnesses throughout the workday; the straps won’t budge, even with movement and the weight of tool belts that have traditionally caused adjustments to loosen. The Revolver™ ratcheting torso adjustor features a winding adjustment that spools the webbing as the user adjusts the harness for a proper fit. The adjustor locks into place and holds the adjustment, preventing slippage due to movement and added weight. It also eliminates excess webbing that can be hazardous near moving parts. Additional hardware includes breakaway molded lanyard keepers that allow easy connection of any size snap hook and breaks away to help prevent snagging and tripping. To learn more call (800) 328-6146 or go to www.capitalsafety.com.

NRG Systems has partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Wind Energy Group on a multi-phase project to advance the use of renewable energy at MIT’s campus and further the science of remote sensing with laser-based technologies. The MIT Wind Energy Group, an on-campus organization that addresses global wind energy challenges through fact-based research, analysis and education, initiated the partnership after meeting with NRG Systems’ employees last year at an energy career fair.

“NRG Systems is a name synonymous with wind resource assessment here in the U.S.,” says Katherine Dykes, vice president of the MIT Energy Club and founder of the group. “Their reputation, in addition to their role in developing new technology such as lidar, makes them an ideal partner for MIT.”

Along with Kathy Araujo, current group president, Dykes has been leading the project that should culminate in the installation of small-scale wind turbines on MIT’s campus. Last month NRG Systems’ employees Larry Jacobs and Emeric Rochford installed measurement equipment on an existing light tower at the MIT athletic fields to begin collecting wind resource data. This will be followed by deployment of a WINDCUBE™ lidar remote sensor, a laser-based sensor that provides 200-meter vertical wind profiles, and a 34-meter meteorological tower. Installations will support student research in the fields of wind measurement and renewable energy. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the MIT Wind Group on this initiative,” says Jacobs, NRG Systems’ marketing manager. “Not only does it deepen scientific understanding of lidar, it also supports ongoing innovation and technological advancement in the field of wind resource assessment.”

NRG Systems is an independently owned company that has served the global wind energy industry for 27 years. Its wind measurement systems and turbine control sensors can be found on every continent in more than 130 countries. The Wind Group of the MIT Energy Club was founded in the summer of 2008 with the mission of bringing together people within MIT and the broader community who are interested in all aspects of wind energy. For more information go to www.nrgsystems.com or www.mit.edu.

Carbone of America, a leader in power and signal transfer solutions, has redesigned the phase and ground brush holders for Hitachi generators installed in the GE fleet of 1.5 MW wind turbines. The new brush rigging assembly is a totally reengineered system, designed to reduce wear, maintenance and downtime in the long term. The brush holders are plug-and-play, so that uptower installation is fast, simple, and requires no modifications to the generator. The mass produced holders, die-cast from bronze alloy, are sturdy and built to withstand rigorous field use and turbine maintenance without sustaining damage. The radial-mounted brush holders were engineered to eradicate the previous reaction and trailing configuration and improve load sharing and equal wear rates between brushes. The brush dimensions were changed to provide equal surface area for the same energy transmission. The ratios of brush coverage to slip-ring diameter, width, and helical groove, have been optimized for peak performance.

The constant-force style brush pressure systems—200g/cm2 applied to the well-known carbon brush grade CG626—provide extremely low wear rates and minimal ring wear over long-term operation. They exert consistent force to keep all brushes in constant contact with the high-speed rotating slip rings for the best possible distribution of current between the four-phase (power) brushes. Upgraded brush terminals carry continuous high loadings; bolted connections ensure continuous, even current distribution between brushes in a phase group. Carbone of America’s brush rigging also incorporates a reliable indication system to alert when brushes become worn. The micro switch system, already widely used in the field, has proven to be dependable. For more information contact Roy Douglas, technical manager, at (973) 299-4518 or roy.douglas@carbonelorraine.com. Visit online at www.carbonebrush.com.

New Schmidt 5D couplings from Zero-Max are the ideal choice for applications requiring large axial, angular, and parallel shaft misalignments. This “all in one” coupling design will handle all shaft displacements, providing low backlash for precision high torque applications such as roll forming and similar heavy duty fabricating equipment.

Designed to fill an important need in the Zero-Max family of torque-rigid couplings, 5D couplings allow for easy adjustment to any possible misaligned shaft position without imposing heavy side loads on shafts, bearings, or other machine equipment. The coupling can accommodate up to 5 degrees of angular misalignment and as high as 1.5” parallel misalignment while maintaining undisturbed power transmission at constant angular velocity. Acting forces within the coupling can be precisely calculated, assuring reliable, trouble-free system operation; especially important in heavy-duty applications. This unique design will tolerate high shock and reversing loads with minimal or no maintenance required.

Additional features include space-saving design and easy installation—couplings can be mounted to shaft hubs or directly to existing machine flanges (no need to reposition either shaft being coupled)—and they are available in standard and inverted hub configurations in bore sizes from 1.500 inch to 6.375 inches or 38mm to 160mm. Custom designs can take this coupling design beyond the catalog specifications. The 10 different model sizes handle speeds up to 1000 RPM and torque from 2800 to 500,000 in-lbs. Special design modifications are available.

“The 5D coupling has very robust design features for use in applications such as roll drive systems used in converting machinery,” says Robert Mainz, sales manager. “The unique and highly flexible design allows for a wide range of movement to improve the quality of the end product. They do a very good job of handling shaft misalignments and protecting drive train components in these high performance systems.”

To learn more call (800) 533-1731, e-mail zero-max@zero-max.com, or go online to

www.zero-max.com.

Gleason has introduced a new line of Titan® grinding machines designed to reduce finish grinding times by as much as 50 percent on cylindrical gears up to 1,500 mm in diameter. Titan machines are unique in their ability to offer users, on a single platform, both pure profile grinding for the greatest flexibility when producing single parts, and threaded wheel grinding and profile grinding working together for much faster fully-automated large-scale production. This new process, called Power Grind, enables users to reduce grinding production times by as much as 50 percent, by first using threaded wheel grinding to “rough” gears much faster and then profile grinding to achieve optimal gear quality, surface finish and complex gear modifications in the finishing operation.

The Power Grind process can optionally include an external setup table to allow the workpiece and workholding package to be set up in parallel with primary production, rather than sequentially. Workpieces then can be loaded automatically through use of an optional workpiece changer. These features, plus an innovative new high-speed tool changer that automates the exchange of threaded wheel for profile grinding wheel, greatly reduce non-productive time.

Titan 1200G and 1500G machines—for workpiece diameters of 1200 mm and 1500 mm respectively—are also equipped with a patent pending universal dresser. This enables the user to dress both threaded grinding wheels and profile grinding wheels right on the machine using a single dressing tool, thus eliminating the changeover time and expense of multiple dressing tools. These machines also greatly reduce the time required for the production of individual parts through pure profile grinding. A unique, patented dual-flank twist-free grinding option is available that can create highly desirable asymmetrical tooth trace modifications in half the time normally required when conventional single flank grinding is used. The machines come equipped with the latest Siemens 840D CNC and Gleason Windows-based Intelligent Dialogue software to greatly simplify setup and operation. For example, a grinding technology database recommends and optimizes the production methodology for the Power Grind process before machining starts, enabling even less experienced operators to produce high quality parts more productively. 

Titan machines are just the latest in a complete line of Gleason gear grinding machines that include profile grinders for workpiece diameters up to 6 meters. For more information visit www.gleason.com.

For the third consecutive year, Second Wind has made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States. “Second Wind is dedicated to making wind energy profitable through the use of innovative technology,” COO Larry Letteney says. “Our third year on this prestigious list speaks to the hard work of our dedicated employees and the continued growth of the renewable energy sector.”

Letteney credited the growing acceptance of Second Wind’s newest product, the Triton sonic wind profiler, as adding significantly to the company’s overall growth. The Triton is designed to give wind farm developers more accurate information about siting wind farms and turbines, thus streamlining wind farm development and increasing financial certainty. The Triton assesses wind speed and direction by sending sound pulses into the sky and measuring the returning echoes. Triton sales are increasing each quarter, with over 80 units currently operating in the field including sites in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

“With this accomplishment, Second Wind, Inc., joins the rarified company of enterprises that have appeared on the list multiple times,” says Inc. 5000 Editor Jane Berentson. “Since debuting in 1991, the list has served as evidence of the significant accomplishments of entrepreneurial companies.”

Founded in 1980, Second Wind advances the use of wind data to make wind energy more profitable for owners, painless for operators, and practical for consumers. More information is available at www.secondwind.com.

Featuring more helpful tips and installation advice than before, Dr. Shrink’s new Web site is a single source for all necessary shrink-wrap knowledge, allowing visitors to browse the company’s complete line of shrink wrap and accessories.

Serving seasoned business owners to novice do-it-yourselfers, a convenient “How-To/Training” tab offers free, step-by-step directions on how to shrink wrap a wide variety of objects. A helpful chart enables users to find the right size shrink wrap for their asset. Visitors can sign up for the company’s e-newsletter to learn more details about upcoming shows, new products, tips, and other special offers. The site offers a full-color photo gallery, providing ideas on all the different types of objects that can be shrink wrapped.

Based in Manistee, Michigan, Dr. Shrink is an international premium shrink-wrap supplier. With a reputation for great customer service, the company provides prompt service, competitive pricing, and experienced application advice. Call (800) 968-5147, e-mail drshrink@dr-shrink.com, or go to www.dr-shrink.com.

RBC Bearings is pleased to announce that it has received a letter of conformance from Germanischer Lloyd (GL) for pitch and yaw bearings for the ACCIONA Windpower wind turbine generator. ACCIONA Windpower North America is owned by the ACCIONA group, a Spain-based global leader in the renewable energies field. The company has installed 252 wind farms in 14 countries and manufactures wind turbine generators with proprietary technology.

The GL type certification was issued to RBC Bearings in April, 2009, for RBC slewing ring bearings being built for 1.5 MW ACCIONA wind turbines. The bearings are being manufactured in RBC’s new custom-built 80,000 square-foot facility in Houston, which became operational in late summer of 2009. This is another important milestone for RBC in the company’s initiative to supply pitch and yaw bearings to the wind turbine generator industry.

“We are pleased with the progress our team is making to serve this industry. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is now ready. Our advanced engineering team, equipped with the most up-to-date analytical design tools, now provides custom-engineered solutions to some of the largest producers of wind turbine generators in the world,” says Dr. Michael J. Hartnett, RBC president and CEO. “This certification is another significant step for RBC Bearings. We are at the beginning of what I am sure will be a very successful new business segment for us as we provide critical components necessary to the growth of the U.S. wind turbine generator industry.”

RBC Bearings is a leading manufacturer of precision bearings for industrial, aerospace, and defense applications. The company has 22 manufacturing facilities throughout North America and Europe and is supported by a global network of sales engineers, authorized distributors, and agents. For additional information call (800) 390-3300 or go to www.rbcbearings.com.

The City of Iowa City, Iowa, continues its work to develop what is believed to be the first Wind Energy Supply Chain Campus in the United States. Since November 2008 the city has taken steps to acquire, annex, and zone 173 acres of land located on the city’s east side and begin infrastructure work. Sewer service projects and road improvements are underway or scheduled for development. To date over three-dozen companies have visited or requested information about the campus.

“We are able to meet power and transportation needs because this campus is being developed from the ground up,” says Joe Raso, Iowa City Area Development (ICAD) Group president. “Unlike other industrial sites which may have to be retrofitted, this campus is being designed specifically to the needs of the wind energy sector.”

This development puts OEM suppliers in close proximity to Acciona North America’s operations in West Branch and Clipper’s North American nacelle manufacturing plant in Cedar Rapids. The campus is rail served and will allow companies easy access via Interstate 80 to their customers and the growing number of wind projects not only in Iowa, but in the upper Midwest. Additionally, it will soon be certified as one of only three “shovel-ready sites” in the region.

In response to continuous inquiries, ICAD Group has launched a special Web site featuring a snapshot overview of the campus and important facts about the benefits of doing business in Iowa City. Users can link to laborshed reports, detailed property information about the campus, and obtain a free transportation quote to estimate costs of shipping products to and from our area. “At this stage companies are planning for projects in 2010 and 2011 and need data to determine which locations make sense for their needs,” Raso says. “Our supply chain campus Web site will help national and international companies with their research and make it easy for them to contact us with specific questions or to arrange site tours.”

To learn more contact Raso at (319) 354-3939 or jraso@iowacityarea.com. Also visit www.iowacitywind.com.

Hyosung has again selected Romax Technology as a leading partner in their wind energy activities. Following the success of their first collaborations on 750kW and 2MW wind turbine gearboxes, Hyosung and Romax will cooperate on future wind turbine projects.

Romax and Hyosung first worked together when the UK based consultancy supported Hyosung in the design and optimization of a 750kW and 2MW gearbox. Romax assisted in the collation of commercial and engineering market research and the concept design, detailed design, and manufacturing drawings. In addition, Romax has provided continuous testing and certification support. Both projects proved successful with the 750kW and 2MW gearboxes recently achieving type certification through DEWI-OCC (Offshore and Certification Centre GmbH) following successful field trials.

The success of these previous ventures and the standard of the technical and commercial support they received led Hyosung to select Romax as a key partner in their new venture. “Romax’s expertise in wind turbine engineering is an important factor in our success,” according to K.H. (Kevin) Ho, senior vice president of industrial machinery PU from Hyosung. “We have no doubt that this will continue well into our future collaborations, and we had no hesitation in choosing to work with Romax again.”

“We are delighted that Hyosung have asked us to partner with them again and we are confident that the partnership will yield more success for both Romax and Hyosung,” says Andy Poon, director of renewable energy at Romax. For more information go to www.romaxtech.com.

A new collaboration between MAG Industrial Automation Systems and Dowding Machining LLC is poised to revolutionize manufacturing of wind turbine components with specially-designed CNC modules for the production of hubs and new automated technology for composite wind blade production. The Michigan-based venture—dubbed Astraeus from the Greek mythological “father of the four winds”—will use a unique new machine design to dramatically reduce the production times of turbine hubs, the large castings to which the blades are attached, to about four hours—a process that now typically takes 20 to 24 hours on the best production lines. In what will be the first implementation of MAG’s Rapid Material Placement System (RMPS), the new company will bring integrated manufacturing with automation and repeatable process control to wind blade fabrication—a process that has historically been manual, making blades prone to imperfections and weight variations, and exposing wind turbine manufacturers to warranty and replacement costs.

The new business unites MAG, a world leader in machine tools and aerospace composites, and Dowding Machining, a large-component precision machining operation, in an effort to make wind energy more cost-competitive as an alternative energy solution. “We’ve already seen significant interest in our capabilities from Asian and European companies,” says Jeff Metts, president of Dowding Machining. Plans for Astraeus include opening global facilities to supply worldwide demand.

 The management and organization of Astraeus will be announced by the end of the year, with production expected to ramp up very quickly. “We plan on producing some of the components by the middle of next year,” according to Roger Cope, president of the Strategic Business Development Group of MAG.

MAG is a leading machine tool and systems company serving the durable-goods industry worldwide with complete manufacturing solutions. The company offers a comprehensive line of equipment and technologies including process development, automated assembly, turning, milling, automotive powertrain production, composites processing, maintenance, automation and controls, and core components. Key industrial markets served by these technologies include aerospace, automotive and truck, heavy equipment, oil and gas, rail, solar energy, wind turbine production and general machining. More information is available at www.mag-ias.com.

Dowding Machining LLC is a precision machine solutions provider for large components and is an affiliate of Dowding Industries, Inc., a woman-owned manufacturer of progressive die stampings, metal fabrications, and welded assemblies. Learn more by visiting www.dowdingindustries.com.

The world leader in environmental measurement Vaisala, together with electricity and natural gas energy company Xcel Energy and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), have joined forces on a pioneering pilot project in the United States that will take observing and forecasting for wind energy production to the next level.

The goal of the pilot is to explore the use of a new wind observing and forecasting system in Xcel Energy’s wind power generation. The system will provide critical decision-making support for balancing wind power with traditional fossil fuel generation while minimizing costs and improving reliability. A primary focus of the effort is to develop technologies that will better anticipate changes in wind energy output from wind farms. “This is a great opportunity for Vaisala to again demonstrate how we can provide observation systems for weather critical applications,” says Richard Pyle, head of the company’s wind energy market segment.

“We are extremely pleased to enter this pilot project with Vaisala and NCAR, who both are leading players in their fields and can significantly contribute to the development of wind forecasting in energy production,” says Mary Fisher, vice president of strategic technology for Xcel Energy. “Once completed the pilot, if successful, will inform wind farms operators on the means to increase reliability and minimize integration cost.”

Vaisala is providing Xcel Energy with surface weather stations, radar wind profiling capability, and National Lightning Detection Network® data, as well as installation and operating services for a 12-month pilot program. The wind observation network will be located around wind farms in Colorado that total 400 megawatts of installed capacity. The network became operational in November 2009.

NCAR has been contracted to refine a wind forecasting system that focuses on wind ramp detection for the project. Vaisala’s observation data will be integrated with the forecast information in a decision support tool developed by Vaisala in close cooperation with the three parties. To learn more contact Richard Pyle at (303) 589 8772 or richard.pyle@vaisala.com. Visit online at www.vaisala.com.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland recently announced that 25 state solar and wind projects will receive more than $13 million in grants funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s State Energy Program. The announcement was made last November at Lincoln Electric’s Automation Center of Excellence in Cleveland, highlighting the company’s welding solutions for wind tower fabricators.

Among those projects was $1 million awarded to Lincoln Electric to help install a wind turbine at its Cleveland manufacturing facilities. The plans call for a 2.5-megawatt turbine that will generate approximately 10 percent of the electrical needs for Lincoln’s Cleveland manufacturing operations.

“We are excited to have this opportunity under Ohio’s energy program to demonstrate the value of wind energy by investing in our own installation,” says John Stropki, chairman and CEO. “This project is a continuation of other Lincoln environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs and green initiatives currently under way in our manufacturing operations to improve our costs and protect our environment. Not only will the wind project provide long-term benefits by reducing our energy costs, it will also showcase the unique benefits that Lincoln products and welding solutions provide to wind tower manufacturers to improve their quality and lower their costs.” Learn more at www.lincolnelectric.com.

By safely channeling harmful shaft currents away from bearings to ground, Electro Static Technology’s new AEGIS WTG™ wind turbine grounding ring prevents bearing damage that could otherwise cause generator failure, unplanned downtime, costly repairs, and lost revenues. Maintenance-free, effective at any RPM, and available for any size wind turbine generator, the ring is designed for OEM installation or easy uptower retrofit.

High-frequency currents induced on the shafts of wind turbine generators can reach levels of 60 amps and 1200 volts or greater. If not diverted these currents will discharge through the generator’s bearings, causing severe electrical damage that results in bearing failure and catastrophic turbine failure, sometimes in as little as six months or less. The AEGIS WTG’s patented conductive microfiber technology effectively steers these currents away from the bearings and safely to ground.

The WTG is engineered to safely divert up to 120 amps of continuous shaft current at frequencies as high as 13.5 MHz and discharge up to 3000 volts (peak). Ideal for use as part of a preventive maintenance program to protect against premature bearing failures, it can be installed whenever bearings are replaced. For more information contact Adam Willwerth at (866) 738-1857 or (207) 998-5140. Send e-mail to sales@est-aegis.com, or go online to www.est-aegis.com.

Byers Precision Fabricators offers highly skilled full-service five-axis laser processing to help reduce costs for manufacturers in the wind turbine and other alternative energy industries. The company provides extraordinary results and exciting new engineering, design, and production opportunities. Byers Precision operates with current laser technology and has the experience necessary to most effectively and efficiently manage customer projects. The company is known for reliable and high-quality work, as well as quick response to customer needs. Outsourcing to Byers Precision reduces cost for customers as no capital expenditure, ongoing operational costs, upgrading costs, or operational changes are required on their part.

Byers Precision utilizes a Prima Rapido 1532 five-axis laser processing center equipped with a 3500-watt CO2 laser capable of cutting of steel, stainless, aluminum, ceramics, plastics, and other materials. Two cutting heads cover a wide range of material thickness. The laser handles simple 2D, as well as more complex 3D jobs. Catia Fastrim software is used for fixture design.

Byers Precision capabilities include cutting and trimming of hydro-formed, spun, deep drawn, and stamped parts. Thus providing a more economical trimming solution than additional tooling or trim dies. Capabilities include producing features at an angle close to the horizontal and in areas inaccessible by other machining methods. 3D part contouring services are offered as well. Available rapid prototyping services provide quick production of prototype parts based on provided model data. Modification services include addition of new features to existing parts. Scanning and modeling capabilities are also available. Byers Precision is equipped with a multitude of work centers allowing solutions ranging from cut and ship to turnkey parts manufacturing. For more information call (888) 693-7411 or visit online at www.byersprecision.com.

Having recently inaugurated a newly-built high-tech lab in Ismaning, Germany, PRUEFTECHNIK Alignment Systems—LUDECA’s principals—strengthens its technological prominence and abilities in measurement technology.

The lab includes two large granite tables (20 ft. x 6-1/2 ft. and 36 ft. x 1½ ft.) weighing 12 and 11 metric tons, respectively, and a 1½ ton 3D motion simulator. The requirements for the measurement and test lab are stringent to the extent that the new optical tabletops have been mounted on a vibration and shock free foundation isolated from the building ensuring that any environmental movement is not transmitted to the tabletop. Tight environmental conditions within the measurement and test room are met. Lighting requirements are provided by 150 LEDs. The installed air conditioning plant regulates the incoming and return air through an elaborate piping system. An accurate equalization of flow ensures that identical environmental conditions exist at every point within the laboratory. The air temperature is stable at 71.6° F (22º C ± 0.1º C). The humidity is maintained at 40 percent. This new high-tech lab allows development of new sensors, lasers, and measurement systems that will further enhance and guarantee the quality of the production units used in maintenance of rotating machinery. It will also satisfy the ever increasing requirements for sub-micron measuring accuracies.

LUDECA is a vendor of preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance tools including laser alignment, vibration analysis, and balancing, as well as software, services, and training. For more information call 305) 591-8935, e-mail sales@ludeca.com, or go online to www.ludeca.com.

Enertech, Inc., announces the formation of Rio Viento Development Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary offering multidisciplinary development, consulting, and O&M services. The new venture compliments Enertech’s existing wind turbine manufacturing business by providing customers with the technical and professional services needed to develop wind projects under 20 mw. “Enertech is a ‘one-stop shop’ for community, institutional, agricultural, commercial, and industrial wind projects,” says Dale Jones, president and CEO. “Rio Viento provides Enertech customers with solutions to financing, permitting, and interconnection needs.”

Rio Viento is comprised of professionals with backgrounds in law, planning, and project management. Its services include site selection, site leasing and acquisition, site development, project management, construction management, economic modeling, feasibility studies, land use and environmental permitting, financial consulting, state and federal incentive consulting, grant-writing, utility negotiations, PPA and interconnection agreements, O&M management, remote monitoring, instruction, and training services.

“Wind project development is a complicated process,” Jones says. “Enertech is committed to the mid-sized wind market, and Rio Viento offers the experience and expertise needed to take projects off the drawing board and turn them into reality.”

Enertech, Inc.—based in Newton, Kansas—is an established name in the wind industry. Enertech manufacturers and markets wind turbines for the mid-sized market, with particular interest in community, institutional, agricultural, commercial and industrial projects. A wholly-owned subsidiary, EncoreWind, offers refurbished and remanufactured wind turbines and components. To learn more contact Scott B. Poor at (800) 701-2888 or spoor@enertechwind.com. Visit the company’s Web site at www.enertechwind.com.

Parker Hannifin Corporation, the leader in motion and control technologies, has released the first two-phase cooling system to manage the heat of high-power electronics safely and efficiently. Parker’s Precision Electronics Cooling System Technology, developed at Parker’s Climate Systems Division, allows power electronics’ design platforms to have up to twice the power density in half the space, perfect for a wide array of renewable energy applications.

This new maintenance-free system is ideal for decreasing the size of a wind turbine’s power system or extending the range of a hybrid vehicle. Using a vaporizable dielectric fluid, the system boils this fluid across the base of the silicon chip, converting the fluid into a gas and stabilizing the system’s high temperatures. This process shatters the cooling limits once imposed by traditional water-based systems.

“Because the liquid changes to a gas, we are able to remove two to four times more heat from the system,” says Scott Gill, business unit manager for Parker’s Advanced Thermal Systems Business Unit. “Thermal management is one of the primary barriers limiting high power electronics today and this provides the design engineer an unprecedented leap in thermal performance. By using a dielectric (non-conductive) fluid, our system is safer than the traditional water-based approach and will never damage sensitive electronics.”

“The timing couldn’t be better,” according to Dave Saums, a thermal consultant in Amesbury, Mass. “This technology is applicable to any of the new energy platforms such as hybrid and electric vehicles, wind turbine power systems, uninterruptible power supplies, and just about any high-power platform for industrial, medical, and military applications.”

With annual sales exceeding $12 billion, Parker Hannifin is the world’s leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of commercial, mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets. For more information contact Dale Thompson at (260) 418-0503 or dale.thompson@parker.com. Also go to www.powersystemscooling.com.

HPM America has unveiled its newest product line—wind turbines. In introducing this line the company will be addressing the needs of homeowners, businesses, schools, and universities, governmental institutions, and other applications. The marketing campaign will be utilizing the slogan “1 to 1—Your Total Community Wind Provider.”

The new wind turbines will be available from a small 1kW unit to 1MW. They will incorporate Axial Flux Permanent Magnet (AFPM) technology, which achieves more-efficient wind power generation and is able to produce more power at lower wind speeds due to its coreless technology. The ability of HPM generators to eliminate traditional cogging issues makes it the ideal candidate for wind turbine applications. This new technology eliminates the need for a gearbox to be used as part of the wind turbine drive train, thereby minimizing downtime and reducing maintenance costs over the life of the system.

In AFPM generators a coil is wrapped around a specially designed disc at the center axis. Magnetic discs then rotate on the sides of the coiled disc and generate electricity, consistent with Faraday’s Law. This kind of power generating technology is therefore ideal for wind power generation because its initial operation torque (cut-in speed) is lower than the current Radial Flux Permanent Magnet (RFPM) method.

AFPM power generation is classified into two configurations; the inner and outer type. In the inner-type configuration only the magnetic disk rotates, while the generator housing remains fixed. In the outer-type configuration the whole generator body rotates by fixing the magnetic disk to the body. Both configurations can be provided depending on the application specifications. When the generator is operating and producing electricity, it produces heat. As the heat increases, generator efficiencies decrease. To solve this problem HPM’s generators include a patented liquid-cooling system. This drastically reduces the associated wear that high temperatures can cause, and thus improves the lifespan of the generators.

HPM America manufactures and supplies extrusion systems, injection molding machines, and die casting equipment, along with providing contract manufacturing from its headquarters in Mount Gilead, Ohio. To learn more contact Gerard J. Sposato, VP of sales and marketing, at (419) 949-2206 or gsposato@hpmamerica.com. Go online to www.hpamerica.com.

Vestas has received an order for an offshore wind power plant with a total capacity of 165 MW. The wind power plant, Bligh Bank Offshore Wind Farm, consists of 55 units of the V90-3.0 MW wind turbine and will be located 46 km off the coast of Zeebrugge, situated in the zone dedicated by the Belgian government for the construction of wind farms. The order has been placed by Belwind N.V., owned by a consortium of Belgian and Dutch investors. The order comprises design, delivery, installation, testing, and commissioning of the 55 wind turbines, as well as a five-year service and availability agreement. Dutch contractor Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors bv are responsible for engineering, procurement, and construction.

“We are proud to be supplying turbines for the Bligh Bank Offshore Wind Farm. Furthermore, we are very pleased to see this group of investors showing their confidence in the potential of offshore wind and we look forward to securing them a successful implementation of the project,” says Anders Søe-Jensen, president of Vestas Offshore. “Vestas is a leading, global player in the wind market, and we have been driving the offshore wind industry from the very beginning. Being in the offshore market requires some very specific knowledge and skills—both of which Vestas possesses—and the Bligh Bank Offshore Wind Farm order truly shows Vestas’ dedication and commitment to remain strongly focused on this market.”

Delivery and installation of the turbines, including full power production, is expected to take place during 2010, whereas final completion of the offshore wind farm is expected in early 2011. “This 165 MW wind farm is the first phase of the 330 MW Belwind project,” says Frank Coenen of Belwind N.V. “We look forward to working together with Vestas and Van Oord on the construction of the project, which is a major step forward in realizing the Belgian renewable energy targets. We are proud of our investors and banks, who enabled us to realize this investment in difficult financial times.” To learn more call +45 9730 0000, send e-mail to vestas@vestas.com, or visit online at www.vestas.com.