About
AeroTorque is the new name in Torsional Controls for your wind turbine drivetrain.
AeroTorque Timeline
1990’s
PT Tech produces torque and brake products
for Kennetech and The Wind Turbine Company
2000’s
PT Tech works with Turbine OEMs on torque
limiter research
2010
Major Bearing manufacturer pushes
PT Tech into bearing damage research,
launching innovation.
May 2011
PT Tech begins field testing/monitoring
on wind turbine drivetrains
August 2011
PT Tech introduces first ever Asymmetric
Torque limiter to market on NM750 turbine.
September 2011
Begin data collection on megawatt class
turbines – GE 1.5 and Gamesa 2.0.
December 2011
NEG Micron product begins fleet retrofit installs
September 2012
First publication of PT Tech’s work in Windpower Engineering and Development Magazine
February 2013
Presentation at NREL Gearbox Reliability Collaborative
March 2013
AeroTorque Corporation is launched
out of PT Tech as a stand-alone subsidiary
March 2014
GE 1.5-1.6 model installed for trials
April 2014
Data collection begins on Mitsubishi turbines
November 2014
Introduced 1.5-2.3 MW Generation 2
product – initial install on Vestas V-82s
March 2015
Introduction of Mitsubishi 600/Vestas V-47 models
Summer 2015
Beginning of fleet installs of GE 1.6
and Vestas V-82 models
About Us
Over 30 years in the making…
AeroTorque was launched out of its sister company, PT Tech Inc., a world leader in torque management, with 36 years of history working to reduce transient torque loads in a variety of equipment, in markets such as mining, steel crushing and grinding equipment.
Some of PT Techs Highlights:
- PT Tech’s torque protection products range from to 72 lb. ft. to almost 150,000 lb. ft. of torque.
- PT Tech also offers a wide array of braking products, from wet brakes to caliper disc brakes.
- PT Tech clutches were on 10 out of the 11 TBMs used to dig the Channel Tunnel between the UK and France. Specially developed for this need, the PT Tech equipped machines never had to be dug out, a common issue with these machines.
- PT Tech manufactures a line of computer controlled clutches and hydraulic powered takeoffs, allowing owners and designers an unprecedented level of control and protection for their equipment. The mechanical components manage any sudden shock loads and the controls manage the diesel engine at slip and at startup, to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- PT Tech offers variable torque clutches, wet seals and other products aimed at improving the up-time, performance and safety of heavy equipment.
PT Tech's Wind Industry early experience in wind even goes back to the 1990's, with work with Kennetech and with the US Wind Turbine Company. Now, a dedicated team has been assembled, containing the development team and new resources to serve you and your customer's needs. For over 5 years, AeroTorque has been building experience in today's modern turbines.
The WindTM™, torque monitor has been in the field since May of 2011 and the WindTC™ followed in July of 2011. Since this time, thousands of hours have been logged and hundreds of significant transient torsional reversals have been controlled, extending the lives of the gearboxes. The first installations were on NEG Micon 750 KW machines. What was found on these machines is that transient torsional reversals are occurring frequently, skewing bearings, causing impact loads and leading to additional damage to the bearing races. Starting as early as 2013, researchers began to see the link between these events and White Area Etching cracking and spalling.
Since the introduction, AeroTorque has moved the technologies to the multi-megawatt class machines. These machines see fewer events but the magnitude of the events are increased significantly. AeroTorque's WindTM monitors have been installed on machines from 600 KW to 2.0 MW in the US. Fleet installations of WindTC torsional controls began in December of 2012.
In May of 2013, AeroTorque announced the introduction of the first WindTC designed for the multi-megawatt turbines. The first Field Validation of the larger size began the following wind season on GE 1.5 MW turbines.
The next iteration of WindTC was introduced in the Fall of 2014, with the new 1.5-2.3MW sized unit. Product offerings now span from 600 kw to 2.3 MW. Units were introduced to GE 1.6 and Vestas V82 turbines with great success. In 2015, this unit began to attract fleet sales, as its value was quickly apparent to these larger turbines. Other turbines in the 1.5-2.3 MW size range are able to be adapted with a simple introduction of a new adapter and an adjustment to the toruqe setting to the specific turbine.