The energy sector is one of the world’s largest and most important industries. It’s also one of the most dynamic with several different fuels, from oil & gas to wind & solar – every company in this field is looking to enhance technologies as quickly as possible.
As the population grows and the demand for cleaner energy increases, so too will the challenges. We will work with you, collaborate with you, and together, produce and deliver efficient and productive solutions.
From improving system efficiency to reducing manufacturing and operational costs, we will find ways to propel your company and products to the next level.
Using numerical calculation and computer simulation, we can replicate real-world scenarios, identifying improvement areas; whether for durability, vibration, thermal or structural, we can advise on the best designs to enhance the life cycles of components & systems.
Our engineers have many years of Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) experience in the solar and wind energy sectors. We can support your business in an advisory capacity or with full project management services.
TECOSIM’s core expertise for this industry includes:
- Structure simulation to evaluate components and systems’ strength, stability and service life under mechanical or thermal boundary conditions.
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to calculate phenomena which occur as gases and fluid flow over surfaces (wind loads on wind turbine blades, hydraulic gear optimisation).
- Optimisation calculations to identify the potential of enhancements for components.
- Multi-body system simulation for rigid body calculation and kinematic simulation of joints and drives of all types.
- System simulation to examine complex overall systems where many sub-systems interact.
- Coupled or multi-physics simulation to analyse complex systems with multiple requirements and constraints, typically minimising mass whilst ensuring mechanical limits are respected.
Services in this Industry
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Design and Engineering
Development to quickly take a concept from a sketch to full production. From design space layout [packaging] to detailed design for manufacture.
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Durability Analysis
This is used to highlight and eliminate weak points, reveal weight/cost optimisation opportunities, minimise the number of physical tests and reduce warranty claims. We perform analysis from individual abuse tests through to full-life fatigue. This can be for an all-new product, an update or change of use for an existing product, or to resolve durability issues on an existing product.
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Multi-Body System Simulation
The simulation of kinematic systems – We can simulate your mechanism to check the kinematics and look at the forces for various load cases. This tool is also used extensively to model vehicle suspension systems. The forces can then be applied to the components to check the stress levels and suitability.
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Optimisation
Making a component fulfil its objectives without unnecessarily exceeding them at the expense of weight or cost. Optimisation can consider the component’s material, shape, and size and can be optimised to minimise mass, peak stress, etc. Moreover, can consider manufacturing constraints as well. We can perform Multi-Disciplinary Optimisation [MDO] where the optimisation considers many requirements [often conflicting] from vibration, strength, durability etc, to determine the optimum design and compromise between the requirements.
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Dynamic Simulation
Typically used to analyse various dynamic, high energy or highly non-linear events, highlighting the effect on components, assemblies, or the entire product. This helps our customers save costs on prototypes and testing, reducing environmental impact, and reducing the time to market.
Typical examples of this are:
Impact Analysis
Analysing high energy impacts or highly non-linear events to assess damage and deformation. For example, a vessel hitting a monopile.
User Safety
Used to analyse what happens if something goes wrong.
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NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness)
We use the latest simulation tools to predict what the occupants will experience with regards to feel and noise (for example Road load vibrations, squeak & rattle, and aeroacoustics), then develop the product to minimise or eliminate anything deemed undesirable and any vibrations that may impact the function and life of the product.
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Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
To calculate the fluid and heat flow over or through a vehicle or component (e.g. external aerodynamics, fluid flow and heat management).
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Coupled or Multi-Physics Simulation
This is the process of joining 2 or more different types of simulations together so that, for example, the output from one simulation can be applied to another and vice versa. This is often seen with a CFD model coupled with a structural model – The pressure from a CFD model is applied to the structural model, resulting in deformation of the component – the deformed shape is then fed back into the CFD model which could change the fluid flow and hence the pressures and so forth. Another example is an MBS model coupled with a structural model or a particle model.
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System Simulation
The examination and analysis of complex systems, where many components and sub-systems interact. For example, the control of the cooling system by the electrical system, where separate systems interact and have many different scenarios to check and ensure optimal and efficient performance.
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Virtual Benchmarking (TEC|BENCH)
This process allows for detailed comparisons with competitors’ full products, vehicle components, and sub-systems. These speed up product development whilst reducing costs through highlighting how competitors overcame similar engineering challenges with their products. Unlike other benchmarking services, we provide a CAE model of the benchmark product, allowing you to run all your tests on the competitor product to allow direct and detailed comparison to your product and identify the targets your competitor is working to.
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Process
We have successfully worked with many different organisations, from the largest to the smallest, with different processes and requirements but with the same goal – to get the right product at the right cost. We will work with you following your processes and systems where they are in place, and helping you develop them where they are not. And our broad experience can help optimise your processes for the better, allowing great efficiency and effectiveness.
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Understanding the Challenge
Problem-solving is our speciality and understanding the nature of the challenge allows us to create bespoke engineering solutions, providing flexibility and ingenuity. In addition, we believe collaboration Is essential from the early quotation stages to final project delivery, ensuring the highest levels of support and customer satisfaction. Changes to the project scope could occur at any time; however, the high levels of flexibility within the TECOSIM team allow for the seamless transition of your project requirements.
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Driving Ingenuity
The combined power of our consultancy teams and simulation specialists helps us to unlock creative and innovative ideas, driving ingenuity at every stage of the development process. Furthermore, consulting and simulation projects benefit from the diverse experience of the TECOSIM Group, utilising a wide range of perspectives when solving those niche challenges.
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Delivery
Results alone are not enough; we provide engineering direction based on the collective experience of hundreds of industry-leading engineers. We drive the development of customer products and the realisation of customer goals. Our collaborative methodology ensures a right-first-time approach, minimising cost and lead times.
Design to delivery, we’re your team’s secret weapon
We understand that all requirements are unique; whether you need one engineer or a larger team, we can work together to provide you with a bespoke solution, delivering the power of TECOSIM’s global knowledge base.