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Published in:
2024 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
Modal Testing of Large Wind Turbine Blades
Authors : Emilio Di Lorenzo, Davide Mastrodicasa, Esben Orlowitz, Bart Peeters
Published in: Topics in Modal Analysis & Parameter Identification, Vol. 9
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland
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Abstract
The demand for global electricity is expected to increase steeply in the coming years. In the worldwide quest for more renewable energy sources, the rapid development of offshore wind power suggests this power source will be crucial to meet climate and energy targets. The exponential growth of offshore wind energy can be attributed to several factors, including abundant space and greater, consistent wind resources, as well as technological advantages for offshore wind turbines with high availability and capacity factors.
The dimensions of (offshore) wind turbines are continuously growing, and modern turbines reach a power-generating capacity of 14 MW and more with blade lengths exceeding 100 m. Slender structures such as these blades have interesting dynamics, and it is important to characterize these by modal testing. Hereto the blades are dynamically excited, and the vibration responses are measured with accelerometers. A data-driven system model is identified from these measurements, yielding the modal parameters of the blades: eigenfrequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes. These blade properties are, for instance, used to validate blade structural models (finite element models).
This paper reports on recent testing efforts with as objective to establish practical industrial guidelines for blade modal testing. Following topics will be discussed: sensor choice (ICP seismic, ICP regular modal, micro-electromechanical system [MEMS]), blade excitation techniques, data pre-processing techniques, and modal analysis techniques (experimental modal analysis [EMA] and operational modal analysis [OMA]).
