Gurit98m, an open-source offshore wind turbine blade model
The Swiss manufacturer launches Gurit98m, an open-source blade model designed to support the development, design and optimisation of wind turbine blade materials. This initiative also reflects the company’s will to work more closely with key blade and turbine OEMs as well as with academic institutions so as to help accelerate the transition to sustainable materials like PET.
As demand for renewable energy grows, so does the need for more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable wind turbine technology. Yet, designing and optimising blades remains complex and resource-intensive, Gurit explains. That is why the company developed the Gurit98m in partnership with Aalborg University, a leader in composite structure and wind turbine blade engineering, which aims to simplify the process. The Gurit98m model is publicly available so that engineers, researchers and manufacturers can use it and carry out structural optimisation.
The Gurit98m model has been optimised for performance, its key structural drivers being handled efficiently. It has also been designed so as to reduce the manufacturing costs. At last, it has been conceived in a sustainable way, with its core now made from recyclable PET instead of the balsa wood used previously.
The Gurit98m enables users to improve sustainability by integrating recyclable materials, streamline offshore wind blade design for better efficiency, and accelerate innovation through open-source collaboration. It’s a valuable tool for those looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving renewable energy landscape.
Available in Abaqus and Ansys formats, the Gurit98m has been designed to be easy to integrate into R&D projects. Gurit specifies that it is using it to drive innovation in-house, including enhancements to its OptiCore platform.
Cover photo: Gurit
You can create a free technological watch and keep you updated about all these subjects.
