basis
The BASIS module in WindPRO is necessary for the use of any of the other calculation modules.
The BASIS Elements
The BASIS module contains the 4 following elements:
- Project Management / Globe (Project Explorer)
- WTG Catalogue
- Map Management System
- Projecting / Input Data
Project Management
Project Management is a tool for the effective administration of your projects. Projects are presented either in a list or on a map, offering the possibility to use different filter criteria for easy access. The Map Management System is the tool for linking scanned maps or maps from CD to WindPRO, to make them available for the projecting work and the inputting of data, which is done directly on these digital background maps. Finally, the WTG Catalogue contains the necessary data on wind turbines necessary for projecting. With the BASIS module, the user can also perform a BASIS printout, which gives an overview of all objects in the project and a map with their geographic positions. To perform calculations it is necessary to use one of the other available calculation modules.
WTG Catalogue
The WTG Catalogue can be used by anyone who needs an overview of available WTGs, where technical data and prices are given for most of the wind turbines available on the market, including various options for comparison and presentation. The catalogue can also be of interest to users who seek historical information since most of the older wind turbines not produced anymore are included. In other words, a unique reference for anyone interested in wind turbines. The WTG Catalogue contains more than 500 different types of WTGs, which have been gathered by EMD over the years. The data is constantly being updated. The user can also add own, freely definable WTG types to the catalogue.
The following information categories are available in the WTG Catalogue:
- General Data that identifies the wind turbine, i.e. manufacturer, type, generator size, rotor diameter, hub heights, tower type, blade width, a photo of the WTG etc.
- Power Curve (multiple datasets possible), including information on origin of data and thrust curve.
- Noise Data (multiple datasets possible), including octave/third octave data, origin of measurements.
- Visualization Data (multiple datasets possible), i.e. geometry and the colors of the wind turbine.
Map Management System
The Map Management System makes it possible to work with a map directly on your PC screen. Typically, scanned maps are used, which are calibrated to the coordinate system to be used by defining three points with known coordinates. WindPRO supports the world file format and it is possible to download online satellite images directly in WindPRO from a number of hosts. WindPRO currently supports 57 coordinate systems of which many come with a number of datums and versions. The number is growing as more systems are added continuously. It is also possible to custom define coordinate systems.
Projecting / Input Data
The Basis module gives access to a graphical user interface used to build projects in WindPRO. All information is stored in objects which are placed on the map(s). These may be wind turbines in WTG objects, measurement data in METEO objects or height contours in line objects etc. There are in total 21 such object types. All these objects are organized in a layer structure, which makes it possible to work with multiple layout options and background source data. Height and roughness models can be digitized, loaded from files or downloaded from a host of sources (SRTM, land use data etc). While this GIS like system is wholly developed by EMD it interfaces with other similar systems by reading and exporting to other formats through shape, dxf, xyz, kmz files etc.
It is possible to present results of calculation directly on the map as part of the work space. This can be very helpful in the micro-siting phase. Also the results and turbines can be exported for direct presentation in Google Earth. Basis includes a number of tools for designing wind farms including geometric layout tools, circle or elliptical spacing, copy-paste functions both within WindPRO and to/from spreadsheet and measuring tools of many kinds.