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Title: Wind turbine blade testing system using base excitation

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1128689
; ; ; ;

An apparatus (500) for fatigue testing elongate test articles (404) including wind turbine blades through forced or resonant excitation of the base (406) of the test articles (404). The apparatus (500) includes a testing platform or foundation (402). A blade support (410) is provided for retaining or supporting a base (406) of an elongate test article (404), and the blade support (410) is pivotally mounted on the testing platform (402) with at least two degrees of freedom of motion relative to the testing platform (402). An excitation input assembly (540) is interconnected with the blade support (410) and includes first and second actuators (444, 446, 541) that act to concurrently apply forces or loads to the blade support (410). The actuator forces are cyclically applied in first and second transverse directions. The test article (404) responds to shaking of its base (406) by oscillating in two, transverse directions (505, 507).

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
Assignee:
Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO)
Patent Number(s):
8,677,827
Application Number:
12/747,487
OSTI ID:
1128689
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2008 Dec 12
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (22)

System for measuring resonance frequencies in turbine and compressor vanes and propeller blades patent June 1983
Identification of resonant frequencies of vibration of rotating blades patent November 1999
Method and apparatus for analyzing non-synchronous blade vibrations using unevenly spaced probes patent August 2000
Straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine patent May 2002
Wind turbine device patent April 2008
Wind turbine utilizing wind directing slats patent May 2011
Wind turbine blade support structure patent January 2012
Vertical axis wind turbine patent January 2012
Stabilizing apparatus for vertical axis wind turbine patent January 2012
Fatigue testing device for wind turbine blade testing, a method of testing wind turbine blades and a control system for a blade testing actuator patent March 2013
Resonance test system patent-application February 2006
Determination of remaining useful life of gas turbine blade patent-application November 2007
Dual-Axis Resonance Testing of Wind Turbine Blades patent-application October 2010
Base Excitation Testing System Using Spring Elements to Pivotally Mount Wind Turbine Blades patent-application February 2011
Test Rig for Testing Blades for a Wind Turbine patent-application July 2011
Wind Turbine Blades Strain Measuring System During Static Tests patent-application December 2011
Fairing for Wind Turbine Blade patent-application January 2012
Testing Methods for Wind Turbine Blades patent-application December 2012
Systems and Methods for Performing Structural Tests on Wind Turbine Blades patent-application March 2013
Wind Turbine with a Centrifugal Force Driven Adjustable Pitch Angle and Cables Retaining Blades in a Hub patent-application March 2013
Fatigue Testing Device for Wind Turbine Blade Testing, A Method of Testing Wind Turbine Blades and a Control System for a Blade Testing Actuator patent-application August 2013
Structural health monitoring of wind turbine blades
  • Rumsey, Mark A.; Paquette, Joshua A.
  • The 15th International Symposium on: Smart Structures and Materials & Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, SPIE Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1117/12.778324
conference May 2008

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