Dynamic stability analysis of wind turbines through in-field vibration tests

Abstract

Depending on their types and sizes, MW-scale wind turbines are usually designed to be operational for wind speeds between 4 and 25 m/s. In order to reach this goal, most of the turbines utilize active pitch control mechanisms where the angle of the blade (pitch angle) is changed as a function of wind speed. Similarly, the whole rotor is rotated toward the effective wind direction by using the yaw mechanism. The ability of the turbine to adapt to the changes in operating conditions plays a crucial role in ensuring maximum energy production and the safety of the structure during extreme wind loads. This on the other hand makes it more difficult toinvestigate the system from the dynamic analysis point of view. Unlike ordinary engineering structures, the modal damping ratios identified for wind turbines are not constant; they change depending on wind speed, rotor speed, and blade pitch angle. Unexpected resonance problems due to dynamic interactions among the aeroelastic modes and/or excitation forces can always be encountered. Therefore, within the design wind speed interval, for each velocity increment, it has to be proven that there are no risks of possible resonance problems and that the structure is dynamically stable. This work presents the results of in-field vibration tests and the corresponding data analysis performed on a 2.5 MW, 80 m diameter wind turbine. Within the scope of the research, 12 different modes were identified for the turbine at parked conditions. Similarly, seven different aeroelastic modes were extracted for the rotating turbine. These results were then qualitatively compared with a reference study in literature which includes in-field vibration tests and aeroelastic stability analysis performed on a similar size and capacity wind turbine. © 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland. All rights reserved.