June 20, 2024
We are thrilled to announce that the Proteus Yaw System has successfully completed acceptance testing at DePe Gear Company and is now enroute for deployment subsea.
Our innovative design is the result of years of collaborative effort with Involution Technologies Ltd. and SKF. Notably, the new yaw system is at least 40% more cost-effective than previous models and boasts a higher load capacity, having been rigorously tested with a test rig for ultimate use on turbines of up to for a 3MW output.
The Yaw System plays a critical role in optimizing turbine performance by rotating the turbine around the tower axis to align the rotor with the flow, thereby maximizing power capture and minimizing fatigue loads. The turbine's heading is securely locked using a toothed coupling that engages during power generation and can be disengaged during slack water periods to allow the turbine to be driven to a new angle. The fail-safe design ensures protection against potential ‘free-yaw’ events in case of a fault during yawing.
Reliable rotation is enabled via a new design of bearing and integrated dynamic seal, supplied by our partner SKF. This sealing arrangement has undergone extensive testing under load and during rotation, demonstrating zero leakage throughout. Additionally, the system’s redundancy of critical sensors and actuators ensures fault tolerance, which was proven during functional testing where redundant operating modes and response to fault scenarios were validated.
“We are incredibly proud of the new Proteus Yaw System,” said Nick Sargent, PMR’s Senior Component Specialist. “This system represents a significant advancement in our technology, combining cost-efficiency with superior performance. The successful testing is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and partners. We extend our gratitude to all who were involved in the development, build, and testing of this remarkable system. We look forward to seeing its performance in the field.”
Michael Baumann, Global Application Account Manager, Ocean Energy at SKF said, “We are a technical partner to Proteus for over a decade and have been providing rotating equipment to Proteus from early on. To see that the new and optimised Yaw system is successfully tested and validated is a rewarding moment for the entire development team. We are looking forward to seeing that the system gets validated also in a sub-sea environment in order to advance it further to serial manufacturing.”