29 www.drivesncontrols.com January 2025 DRIVES n ABB has modernised a medium-voltage variablespeed drive at a Nasa wind tunnel in the US, extending its life by at least 10 years. The National Transonic Facility (NTF) at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia is used to optimise aircraft performance and fuel consumption by mimicking flight conditions at high altitudes and close to the speed of sound. The NTF can simulate a wider range of flying conditions than any other wind tunnel, enabling engineers to hone aircraft designs and gain insights. It has been used, among many other applications, to test Boeing’s 777 aircraft, the Space Shuttle and its booster rocket. In 2021, Nasa engineers identified a need to upgrade the tunnel’s MV drive, because its components were ageing. ABB had supplied the original 101MW drive – the most powerful of its kind in the world – in 1997 to test aircraft and spacecraft models in air or nitrogen flowing at transonic speeds, and at ambient or cryogenic temperatures. After ABB specialists had evaluated the performance and mechanical connections of the drive, they developed an upgrade based on modern high-efficiency power electronic components to match the original drive’s maximum power, while achieving high availability and reliability. This had to fit inside the existing footprint. The work included upgrading the drive’s control unit, while minimising the project’s duration and disruption, and reducing waste as much as possible. “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,” says ABB Motion’s head of modernisation services, Oswald Deuchar. NASA ordered the upgrade project as the first activity under an ABB Motion OneCare service agreement that also covers spare parts and maintenance. This type of agreement offers the flexibility for operators, such as NASA, to bundle together the services they want so that they can optimise the lifecycles of their motors, generators and drives. A 101MW drive at Nasa’s National Transonic Facility wind tunnel has been upgraded, giving it a new lease of life 101MW MV drive upgrade is a breath of fresh air for Nasa wind tunnel
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