Abstract. This paper outlines a novel segment test methodology for wind turbine rotor blades. The segment test mainly aims at improving the efficiency of the fatigue test as a future test method at Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems (IWES). While resulting in reduced testing times, target fatigue bending moments over the intended test area have to be matched within an acceptable range of overload. The numerical simulation reveals that the proposed segment testing has a significant time savings of up to 43 % and 52 % for 60 and 90 m blades. When compared to the experimental data of a 60 m full-length blade fatigue test, the proposed methodology also shows better test quality over the intended area and better certifiable regions over the outboard area.
Abstract. The full-scale fatigue test of rotor blades is an important and complex part of the development of new wind turbines. It is often done for certification according to the current IEC (2014) and DNV GL AS (2015) standards. Typically, a new blade design is tested by separate uniaxial fatigue tests in both main directions of the blade, i.e. flapwise and lead lag. These tests are time-consuming and rather expensive due to the high number of load cycles required, up to 5 million. Therefore, it is important to run the test as efficiently as possible. During fatigue testing, the rotor blade is excited at or near its resonant frequency. The trend for new rotor blade designs is toward longer blades, leading to a significant drop in their natural frequencies and a corresponding increase in test time. To reduce the total test time, a novel test method aims to combine the two consecutive uniaxial fatigue tests into one biaxial test. The biaxial test excites the blade in both directions at the same time and at the same frequency, resulting in an elliptical deflection path of the blade axis. Using elliptical loading, the counting of damage equivalent load cycles is simplified in comparison to biaxial tests with multiple frequencies. In addition, the maximum loads in both main directions remain separated, while off-axis loading is introduced. To achieve such a test, specific load elements need to be arranged so as to equalize the natural frequencies of the test setup for both test directions. This is accomplished by adding stiffness or inertial effects in a specific direction. This work describes a new method to design suitable test setups. A parameterized finite element (FE) model of the test with beam elements for the blade represents the test setup. A harmonic analysis on the FE model can identify the load distribution and the test conditions of a specific test setup within seconds. An optimization algorithm that varies parameters of the model and searches for the optimal setup is then applied to the analysis. This approach allows the efficient determination of a test setup, suited to the predefined requirements. The method is validated by applying it to three different test scenarios for a modern rotor blade: (a) state-of-the-art uniaxial setups, (b) uniaxial setups including springs and (c) a biaxial setup. In conclusion, the resulting setups are evaluated in terms of test quality and efficiency.
Abstract. The buckling resistance is a key design driver for large wind turbine blades with a significant influence on the material costs. During the structural design process the choice was made for carbon spar caps and two shear webs, which were set relatively far apart in order to stabilize the panels. This design presented a major challenge for the stability of the spar caps. The topology of these spar caps has been modified with regard to stability, comparing a continuous spar cap with split spar cap concepts and considering both lay-ups with hybrid carbon glass spar caps or sandwich concepts. Within those concepts, parametric studies were conducted varying different geometrical parameters of the spar caps and its layups. In order to determine the buckling resistance of the spar cap, an analytical model considering a 2D cross section discretized blade model was utilized to select the basic concept, after which a 3D numerical finite element model taking the whole blade into account was used to evaluate the chosen design concepts. The stability limit state analysis was conducted according to the certification scheme of GL guideline 2012. The various concepts were evaluated based on the blade's mass, tip deflection and modal properties. The results of this design process of the spar caps and the evaluation of the used analysis tools are presented within the paper.
Abstract. The full-scale fatigue test of rotor blades is an important and complex part of the development of new wind turbines. It is often done for certification according to the current IEC (2014) and DNV GL AS (2015) standards. Typically, a new blade design is tested by separate uniaxial fatigue tests in both main directions of the blade, i.e. flapwise and lead-lag. These tests are time consuming and rather expensive due to a high number of required load cycles, up to 5 million. Therefore, it is important to run the test as efficiently as possible. During fatigue testing, the rotor blade is excited at or near its resonant frequency. The trend for new rotor blade designs is toward longer blades, leading to a significant drop in their natural frequencies, and a corresponding increase in test time. In order to reduce the total test time, a novel test method aims to combine the two consecutive uniaxial fatigue tests into one biaxial test. The biaxial test excites the blade in both directions at the same time and at the same frequency, resulting in an elliptical deflection path of the blade axis. Using elliptical loading, counting of damage equivalent load cycles is simplified in comparison to biaxial tests with multiple frequencies. In addition, the maximum loads in both main directions remain separated, while off axis loading is introduced. To achieve such a test, specific load elements need to be arranged to equalize the natural frequencies of the test setup for both test directions. This is accomplished by adding stiffness or inertial effects in a specific direction.
Abstract. This paper outlines a novel segment test methodology for wind turbine rotor blades. The segment test mainly aims at improving the efficiency of the fatigue test as a future test method at Fraunhofer IWES. While resulting in reduced testing times, target fatigue bending moments over the intended test area have to be matched within an acceptable range of overload. The numerical simulation reveals that the proposed segment testing has a significant time saving up to 43 % and 53 % for 60 m and 90 m blades. When compared to the experimental data of 60 m full-length blade fatigue test, the proposed methodology also shows better test quality over the intended area and better certifiable regions over the outboard area.
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