ABB has upgraded a variable speed drive (VSD) to extend the life of NASA’s National Transonic Facility (NTF) wind tunnel by at least 10 years. Located at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., the tunnel optimizes aircraft performance and fuel consumption by mimicking flight conditions at high altitudes and close to the speed of sound. It’s been used to test the Boeing 777, the Space Shuttle and its booster rocket.
This project has boosted the reliability and availability of what’s reported to be the world’s largest medium voltage (MV) drive system. The company’s drive experts engineered a solution to match the electrical performance and mechanical arrangement of the existing asset as part of an ABB Motion OneCare service agreement.
In 2021, NASA’s engineers identified the need to upgrade the tunnel’s MV drive due to its aging components. ABB supplied this powerful, 101-MW drive in 1997, so it could test models in air or nitrogen flowing at transonic speeds and at ambient or cryogenic temperatures. This allows NTF to simulate a wider range of flying conditions than any other wind tunnel, enabling engineers to gain unique insights and hone aircraft designs.
After ABB’s specialists evaluated the performance and mechanical connections of the existing drive, they developed a solution based on modern, high-efficiency components to match the original drive’s maximum power, while achieving higher availability and reliability. The modernized drive replace key devices in the NTF’s existing footprint with new ABB equipment. The scope included upgrading the drive’s small control unit, which minimized the project’s duration and disruption, and demonstrated circularity by minimizing waste and logistics.
“NASA relied on ABB’s expertise, technology and services to ensure that NTF provides high reliability and uptime to maximize availability for its testing programs, and optimizes the lifecycles of its assets,” says Oswald Deuchar, modernization services head at ABB Motion. “Extending the life of the wind tunnel by at least 10 years supports NASA’s operational goals, while upgrading the drive’s key components demonstrates efficiency and circular approach.”
NASA ordered the upgrade as the first activity under an ABB Motion OneCare service agreement that also covers spare parts and maintenance. This type of agreement provides the flexibility for operators like NASA to bundle services, so that they can optimize the lifecycles of their motors, generators and drives.
