Determination of local loads for the testing of subcomponents of a wind turbine blade

Abstract

Verification of structures through testing and simulation of subsections is a technique used in structural mechanics. Wind turbine rotor blades are large constructs and their testing demands spatial testing facilities and expensive tooling. The project aims to develop a verification protocol for wind turbine rotor blade using numerical simulation of a subsection, from within the blade. All research conducted is concerning the latest trend in wind turbine design that incorporates smart blades. A transfer scheme is developed, that transfers the loads of the blade (as generated during testing of the complete blade) to a subsection loads (which can be applied via test bench), and vice versa. The required degree of freedoms for a test bench to completely replicate the stress state within the subsection has been determined. The possibility of replication of stress state on a machine, currently present at the “German aerospace centre”, has been ruled out. Furthermore, a methodology to permit replication of the stress state along one axis has been documented. The protocol developed is intended to eliminate spatial and tooling requirement for testing of rotor blades.