Myriad Wind Energy Systems: Using Simulation for Revolutionary Product Development in Modular Wind Turbine Technology

Company Background

Established in 2021 and based in Stirling, Scotland, Myriad Wind Energy Systems is an award-winning start-up specialising in modular wind turbine technology.

Myriad is focused on making wind power cost-effective, sustainable, and versatile in its applications, having built a strong reputation for pioneering cost-efficient solutions. Their first product, the 1MW Myriad Turbine, is set to integrate multiple standardised 250kW generating units on a modular support structure to reduce both capital and operational costs.This modular approach incorporates the use of smaller components, which are easier to manufacture, transport, and maintain. Myriad’s technology also makes previously inaccessible wind energy sites viable, offering scalable solutions for both onshore and offshore wind projects with configurations ranging from 1MW to 6MW systems.

Industry Challenges

The wind energy sector faces several critical challenges that must be addressed to keep it on course to deliver a substantial share of global electricity provision by 2040, including:

Cost and Scalability: Reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is critical, especially for offshore wind projects. The traditional use of large components such as massive turbine blades, increases both manufacturing and transport costs.
Supply Chain Issues: The growing size of turbines puts pressure on the supply chain, leading to logistical bottlenecks. Limited access to specialised transport and installation equipment further adds to project delays.
Reliability & Maintenance: Maintaining large turbines has become increasingly difficult, especially in offshore environments. Challenges are emerging with the impact of non-linear failure rate scaling and the size and availability of equipment required to carry out maintenance activities.

To tackle these challenges, Myriad’s solution incorporates components that are simple to manufacture and transport, along with an integrated maintenance system. This eliminates the need for external cranes and also reduces time working at height. Unlike conventional wind turbines, the Myriad Turbine uses the same supply chain regardless of turbine size, removing supply chain bottlenecks and unlocking efficiencies.

The need for Simulation

In the early stages of development, Myriad Wind Energy Systems faced the challenge of validating its innovative turbine technology within a limited budget. The decision to embrace simulation was therefore driven by the need to de-risk and refine the technology before investing further in hardware testing. Simulations allow the team to model performance and identify potential issues cost-effectively, optimising design features without the financial risks associated with physical prototypes. For Myriad Wind Energy Systems' simulation software, success hinges on delivering efficient and reliable results, making accurate simulation crucial for validating turbine design and forecasting performance. The capability to rapidly produce viable solutions supports timely decision-making, while integration with other team tools - such as SolidWorks for turbine modelling and Bladed for input loads - enables comprehensive structural and aerodynamic performance analysis.

The Solution

Myriad Wind Energy Systems was able to leverage Ansys software to analyse ultimate load cases for its modular turbine technology. This powerful tool enabled the team to evaluate the structural integrity and performance under extreme conditions, ensuring that designs meet safety and efficiency standards. In particular Ansys Mechanical®, Ansys’ structural solution was crucial for assessing the structural integrity of the modular turbine under ultimate load cases, ensuring that designs meet essential safety and efficiency standards. Additionally, Ansys Fluids® has been utilised for initial CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analyses, with plans to broaden its application in the coming months to refine aerodynamic performance assessments, including frame loading analysis Looking ahead, Myriad intends to leverage Ansys for more in-depth simulations, such as fatigue analysis, to gain a deeper understanding of the long-term performance and reliability of turbine components.

The Benefits

Embracing Ansys simulation solutions has enabled Myriad to enhance turbine design detail and effectively communicate analyses with engineering consultancies, stakeholders, and investors. This data-driven approach fosters collaboration, builds trust, and supports innovation, aligning with the company’s strategic objectives in the renewable energy sector. In addition, this has delivered a rapid assessment of a large number of design load cases in a short time frame, essential for the quick iterative design cycle typical in start-up companies, all while maintaining high quality solutions that drive effective design modifications, enhancing system performance.

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