PROTEST

PROcedures for TESTing and measuring wind energy systems

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'One of the major causes of failures of mechanical systems (e.g. drive trains, pitch systems, and yaw systems) in wind turbines is insufficient knowledge of the loads acting on these components. The objective of this pre-normative project is to set up a methodology that enables better specification of design loads for the mechanical components. The design loads will be specified at the interconnection points where the component can be "isolated" from the entire wind turbine structure (for gearboxes for instance the interconnection points are the shafts and the attachments to the nacelle frame). The focus will be on developing guidelines for measuring load spectra at the interconnection points during prototype measurements and to compare them with the initial design loads. Ultimately, the new procedures for the mechanical components will be brought at the same high level as the state-of-the-art procedures for designing and testing rotor blades and towers which are critical to safety. A well balanced consortium, consisting of a turbine manufacturer, component manufacturer, certification institute, and R&D institutes will describe the current practice for designing and developing mechanical components. Based on this starting point, the project team will draft improved procedures for determining loads at the interconnection points. The draft procedures will be applied to three case studies with each a different focus, viz. determining loads at the drive train, pitch system, and yaw system; the latter one taking into account complex terrain. The procedures will be assessed by the project team and depending on the outcome the procedures will be updated accordingly and disseminated. All partners will incorporate the new procedures in their daily practices for designing turbines and components, certifying them, and carrying out prototype measurements. Project results will be submitted to relevant standardisation committees.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

A series of reports on wind turbines, their mechanical systems, loads and rotor blades will improve their construction and workings.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The EU-funded project 'Procedures for testing and measuring wind energy systems' (Protest) will deliver a batch of reports aimed at bettering the construction and day-to-day working of wind turbines. These will examine a variety of subjects including present-day procedures for developing mechanical systems of wind turbines and areas for improvement.

Much focus will be on design loads, with reports looking at various aspects of this subject including whether the set of design load cases currently used is adequate for not only determining the global rotor and tower loads, but also for determining the design loads for mechanical components. If not, the project team will specify additional load cases. It also plans to recommend practices for component modelling.

All of the reports will be applied to three case studies and findings from the case studies used to update the recommended practices and procedures. Moreover, all results from the Protest project will be submitted to the relevant standardisation committees on wind energy, and they will be published at wind energy conferences and workshops.

The results are intended to better specify the procedures for prototype measurements in order to bring the design and development process of mechanical components to the same level as the design and development process of rotor blades.

The report describing wind turbine mechanical systems, taking into account the current design and simulation models and feedback from prototype measurements, has been completed. As, too, the report determining load cases for drive trains, pitch and yaw systems, and critical design variables. A major result, according to the researchers, has been the development of a new method applied to the pitch system. This method contains six steps that should be followed to set up and use a so-called ?measurement campaign? to validate or improve the component model.