How can modern technology protect the environment?
April 1st 2007

The 'battle' between ecology and technology and specifically how modern technologies can protect the environment is a subject which Bosch Rexroth has been wrestling with for the last three decades. It is also a subject which we hope will inspire the engineers of tomorrow which is why we have invested in initiatives such as The Independent-Bosch Technology Horizons award, aimed at school age students. Paul Cooke, managing director, Bosch Rexroth UK discusses how technology can help to make energy efficient products even more efficient

erhaps the most high profile example of Bosch Rexroth's expertise being used to protect the environment is its innovative drive and gearbox solutions for wind energy turbines.

Here through the clever use of hydraulics these wind energy turbines control and harness nature into practical power. Hydraulic technology is an extremely practical way of converting the slow speed of the wind turbine's rotor into a high generator speed with which electricity at a constant frequency can be generated. Put simply, energy efficient machinery maximises its energy-saving potential through the use of Bosch Rexroth technology.

But this is not all that Bosch Rexroth does regarding wind energy turbines.The company also makes pitch controls for the rotor blades, always ensuring that the turbine is operating at maximum efficiency according to the speed and wind direction.Again,hydraulic power combined with intelligent controls allow Bosch Rexroth to take maximum advantage of wind power.

Without these controls the wind turbine would be a dumb animal, the controls allow optimisation.

There are other innovative areas where Bosch Rexroth is at the forefront of projects which could help protect the environment.Sea power generation is just beginning to be explored and is at the same stage that wind power was during the 1980s, but its potential is just as exciting.A 1.5Mega Watt (MW) wind turbine produces 80 million MW/hours of clean electricity during its 20 year lifespan but, there is the potential for sea energy to produce over 1000 TerraWatt/hours or the output of 100 nuclear power stations.

The generation of power is based on two possible sources of energy: waves or flow.Tidal power generation systems operate in a similar way to wind turbines.The rotors are much smaller while offering the same power output, since water has a much higher density than air.As I write the first prototype systems, with gearbox technology and hydraulic components by Rexroth, are being tested off the shores of Norway and Great Britain.

While we are all aware of the challenges facing the automotive industry in reducing the impact of car emissions on the environment, similar challenges are faced by diesel engines on all manner of commercial vehicles.These challenges are just as difficult, the power required by these working machines to perform their function cannot be sacrificed. Bosch Rexroth is working with the major players in this industry to meet their emission targets.Here, it is not just hydraulics that will solve the problems but a combination of solutions including hydraulics, gearbox technology and digital control electronics along with software which will open up the potential for energy and emissions savings.

As you can see we have been busy trying to answer the question of how modern technologies can protect the environment for a long time now.We hope that some of our ways inspire you, engineers and the young engineers of the future to push them forward.

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