Whirl Energy relies on SOLIDWORKS design, structural analysis, CFD analysis and PDM solutions to develop a submerged buoy approach to storing excess electrical power generated from renewable sources
As clean, renewable energy production grows, so does the development of innovative storage systems for capturing the excess electricity generated by wind farms and solar arrays.
Renewable energy sources must currently curtail generation whenever the amount of electricity that they produce exceeds user demand. With an efficient means for storing surplus power, wind and solar energy producers would not have to shut down during low-demand periods but could continue operating at full capacity, maximising power generation and lowering the cost of clean electricity.
Because the amount of electricity involved makes battery technology costly, companies are developing mechanical systems for storing excess renewable power, including Whirl Energy, Inc. The California start-up has produced a patent-pending, 1/10-scale prototype of a submerged buoy system, which uses surplus power to crank buoys underwater to a depth of roughly 100 meters. Whenever power is needed, the buoys are slowly released and their buoyancy force supplies stored electricity as they rise to the surface.
According to President Saben Murray, developing this innovative power storage system required a robust design and analysis platform. Although as a semifinalist at the 2010 Clean Tech Open the company was offered free licenses of Autodesk® Inventor® software, Whirl Energy ultimately chose to utilise SOLIDWORKS® product development solutions.
“SOLIDWORKS is intuitive and advanced, particularly with its FEA [finite element analysis] integration,” Murray explains. “SOLIDWORKS provides sophisticated features that allow us to simulate the unique mechanics involved with winching five-meter-diameter buoys 100 meters underwater.”
Whirl Energy standardised on SOLIDWORKS product development solutions because they provide advanced simulation technology and visualisation tools within a fully integrated, easy-to-use design package. The company implemented SOLIDWORKS Premium design, SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium finite element analysis (FEA), SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, and SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM product data management software.
“With SOLIDWORKS, we have the capabilities that we need to quickly and cost-effectively shake out this innovative technology,” Murray notes. “SOLIDWORKS solutions enable us to validate that these systems will work and continue to refine their commercial application beyond the functional half-meter-diameter buoy prototype system that we’ve developed.”
Iterating on an idea
Using SOLIDWORKS, Whirl Energy is accelerating development of the world’s first commercial-scale buoyant mechanical batteries. The company initially investigated a flywheel-based energy storage system. However, when that approach proved to have fundamental limitations, the firm began looking at buoyancy force as a more practical alternative. Because conducting design and analysis iterations in SOLIDWORKS is fast and inexpensive, Whirl Energy has advanced its concept to a working prototype and patent submission, in preparation for a commercial pilot project.
“Power storage is a big issue for renewable energy achieving parity with conventional generation costs,” Murray stresses. “With SOLIDWORKS, we can quickly iterate on design concepts, allowing us to rapidly go from an idea to a validated design. In our case, SOLIDWORKS helped us determine the theoretical limits on flywheel design and see how the submerged buoy system could side-step them.”
Simulation leads to solutions
Whirl Energy relies on SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium analysis software to study and evaluate the extreme forces and stresses associated with winching buoys underwater. The company then uses this knowledge to optimise the system’s design to withstand a challenging operating environment.
“The buoys and high-strength fiber tethers that connect to the underwater winches on the full-scale units will create millions of Newton-meters of torque, and the gearboxes required are among the largest planetary drives humanity produces,” Murray says. “Using SOLIDWORKS Simulation tools, we’ve been able to minimise misalignment of forces and achieve a fundamental symmetry and balance in our designs that optimises material use despite the enormous loads involved, which is absolutely the key to commercially viable grid energy storage.”
Visualising how submerged buoys store power
In addition to modelling the submerged buoy system, validating its performance, and building a functional prototype, Whirl Energy leverages SOLIDWORKS visualisation tools to demonstrate how the system works. “Without SOLIDWORKS, we would have a much harder time communicating what the system is and how it operates,” Murray points out.
“It’s critical that investors and prospective customers understand what we’re creating,” he continues. “It’s one thing to tell them about a power storage system that utilises concrete anchors, underwater winches, tethers, pulleys, trusses, and buoys. However, showing them a photorealistic image of the complete system rendered with PhotoView 360 is much more effective for communicating how the system will actually work and for generating support for building a full-scale, commercial application.”
Using SOLIDWORKS design, simulation, and PDM tools, Whirl Energy is accelerating development of the world’s first commercial- scale buoyant mechanical batteries
Whirl Energy, Inc. is addressing the need for power storage systems that capture the excess electricity generated by wind farms and solar arrays, so renewable power producers don’t have to shut down during low-demand periods. The company needed a robust 3D design and analysis platform to develop its patent-pending, 1/10-scale prototype of a submerged buoy system, which uses surplus power to crank buoys underwater to a depth of roughly 100 meters, resupplying the power later when the buoys rise to the surface.
Whirl Energy standardised on SOLIDWORKS® product development solutions because they provide advanced simulation technology and visualisation tools within a fully integrated, easy-to-use design package. The company implemented SOLIDWORKS Premium design, SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium finite element analysis (FEA), SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, and SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM product data management software. By choosing SOLIDWORKS, Whirl Energy developed a patent-pending submerged buoy power storage system; supported fast, cost-effective iterations on design concepts; improved concept visualisation with photorealistic renderings; and resolved torque issues through advanced simulation studies.
Challenge:
Develop an efficient mechanical system for storing surplus power in order to maximise the generation of electricity from clean, renewable sources.
Solution:
Implement SOLIDWORKS product development solutions, including SOLIDWORKS Premium design, SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium analysis, SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, and SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM product data management software.
Results:
We Urge You To Call Us For Any Doubts & Clarifications That You May Have. We Are Eager to Talk To You
Call Us: +91 7406663589
pin-up kazino https://azerbaijancuisine.com/# pin up onlayn kazino
pin up onlayn kazino
mexican pharmaceuticals online mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs reputable mexican pharmacies online
buying from online mexican pharmacy mexican pharmacy online purple pharmacy mexico price list
pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa northern doctors pharmacy mexican drugstore online
medication from mexico pharmacy: northern doctors – mexico pharmacy
medication from mexico pharmacy: best online pharmacies in mexico – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
https://northern-doctors.org/# mexican drugstore online
mexico drug stores pharmacies: northern doctors – buying prescription drugs in mexico
best online pharmacies in mexico: mexican pharmacy online – mexico drug stores pharmacies
pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa: northern doctors pharmacy – pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
https://northern-doctors.org/# purple pharmacy mexico price list
purple pharmacy mexico price list northern doctors purple pharmacy mexico price list
mexican rx online: mexican northern doctors – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
purple pharmacy mexico price list: mexican pharmacy online – medicine in mexico pharmacies
buying prescription drugs in mexico: mexican northern doctors – medicine in mexico pharmacies
mexican pharmaceuticals online: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – mexican border pharmacies shipping to usa
https://northern-doctors.org/# п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
medicine in mexico pharmacies: northern doctors – mexico drug stores pharmacies
medicine in mexico pharmacies: best online pharmacies in mexico – mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
medication from mexico pharmacy: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – mexican mail order pharmacies
buying prescription drugs in mexico online: mexican pharmacy northern doctors – mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
best online pharmacies in mexico: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – purple pharmacy mexico price list
medication from mexico pharmacy: northern doctors – п»їbest mexican online pharmacies
mexican pharmacy: Mexico pharmacy that ship to usa – mexican rx online
п»їbest mexican online pharmacies mexican northern doctors buying prescription drugs in mexico online
mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs: mexican mail order pharmacies – mexican pharmacy
https://cmqpharma.online/# mexican pharmacy
pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa
mexico drug stores pharmacies
https://cmqpharma.com/# mexico drug stores pharmacies
mexico drug stores pharmacies
medication from mexico pharmacy: cmq pharma mexican pharmacy – buying prescription drugs in mexico online
mexican pharmaceuticals online cmqpharma.com mexico pharmacies prescription drugs
mexico pharmacy mexico pharmacies prescription drugs mexico drug stores pharmacies
I was reading through some of your posts on this internet site and
I believe this internet site is rattling informative!
Keep on posting.Leadership
п»їlegitimate online pharmacies india top 10 pharmacies in india online shopping pharmacy india
http://foruspharma.com/# medication from mexico pharmacy
canadianpharmacyworld safe canadian pharmacies www canadianonlinepharmacy
http://foruspharma.com/# buying prescription drugs in mexico
mexican mail order pharmacies reputable mexican pharmacies online buying from online mexican pharmacy
https://canadapharmast.online/# global pharmacy canada
india pharmacy mail order indian pharmacies safe top 10 pharmacies in india
amoxicillin 500mg no prescription: amoxicillin 500mg capsule buy online – amoxicillin 500mg for sale uk
antibiotic amoxicillin: price for amoxicillin 875 mg – amoxicillin tablet 500mg
buy generic clomid: can i buy clomid online – generic clomid without prescription
amoxicillin pharmacy price: amoxicillin generic – buy amoxicillin canada
order clomid tablets: where to get clomid without insurance – where to buy clomid tablets
doxycycline 500mg price: doxycycline cost in india – doxycycline cost
paxlovid covid: Paxlovid buy online – paxlovid pill