Auslegung einer Elastomerabdeckung für die flexible Hinterkante eines Windenergierotorblattes

Abstract

Increasing shortage of fossil energy sources and an accelerating climate change make the ex-pansion of renewable energies necessary more then ever and therefore lead to higher energy outputs in the segment of wind energy turbines. In the last years there has been a tendency to constantly bigger and more powerful turbines. The combination of structural loads due to the rotorblade’s own mass, the vertical wind profile and blasts have negative effects on the overall life span of the system. Therefore the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is researching on smart rotorblades with flexible trailing edges, which can reduce the cyclic loads as quickly activated actuators. One central component of this concept is an elastomeric sealing between the trailing edge and the fixed wing profile. The currently used version though is not fully operational due to material failures. After presenting the state of the art and basics of elastomeric material science in this master thesis the currently used elastomeric material is transferred into a nonlinear parametric finite element model. The model is then checked on numeric ruggedness e.g. numerical convergence. By using a parameter study optimized geometrical shapes are calculated and then built as prototypes. These prototypes are finally veryfied in cyclic tension tests in comparison to the currently used reference geometry and as a validation of the calculations done beforehand.