By Celsias Team
Posted on May 24, 2011. Listed in:
What was once a start-up in the Icehouse business incubator back in 2007 is making some pretty impressive strides in the world of wind technology. PowerbyProxi, which now has offices in Auckland and Cincinnati, Ohio, has announced the successful trial of the Proxi-Ring 480, a contactless slip ring that provides wireless power and data to pitch control systems that drive blades in wind turbines. The company made the announcement at the Windpower 2011 conference & exhibition in Anaheim, California.
The big benefit of this ring development is that it makes wind energy generation more cost-effective by increasing uptime and reliability and eliminating costs of maintaining and replacing mechanical slip rings. Unlike mechanical slip rings, PowerbyProxi says the Proxi-Ring 480 does not require cleaning or maintenance as contaminants like oil or brake dust do not affect operation.
VP of PowerbyProxi, Fady Mishriki, says the new contactless ring was trailed “flawlessly” in a hydraulic wind turbine in Spain.
“It replaced a mechanical slip ring which was causing problems several times a week and this frequency was increasing as the turbine aged,” says Mishrik. “These faults are very hard to diagnose due to their intermittent nature and as turbines are stationary when tested. We set out to prove our wireless technology delivers significant benefits over mechanical slip ring technology and we've done that."
PowerbyProxi have achieved similar success using other wireless power solution platforms in a wide range of industrial applications including aerospace, off-road vehicles, security systems, battery recharging, sensor networks, hydraulic actuation, hydraulic control and slip ring replacement.
Along with Mishriki, the company was founded by ex-Microsoft boss Greg Cross.
