CASED - Concurrent Aero-Servo-Elastic Analysis and Design of Wind Turbines

Project leader

Senior Scientist, Ph.D. Mech. Eng. Morten Hartvig Hansen Risø/DTU

Partners

1. Wind Energy Department, Risø, National Laboratory, Technical University of Denmark (Risø/DTU)
2. Aalborg University, Department of Electronic Systems, Section of Automation and Control (AAU)
3. Technical University of Denmark, Informatics and Mathematical Modelling (DTU)
4. Vestas Wind Systems A/S (Vestas)

Abstract

This strategic research effort will establish a new platform of competence in a broad scientific environment within aero-servo-elasticity of wind turbines with participation of the Danish wind energy industry. Aero-servo-elasticity of wind turbines describes the interaction of the aerodynamic flow around the turbine, the servo actions by its controller, and its elastic vibrations. Fundamental understanding of this interaction is required for the development of future wind turbines that are even more structurally and aerodynamically optimized than they are today due to a concurrent design of more advanced robust/adaptive controllers. Wind turbines can thereby be produced to a lower cost and with higher reliability to obtain longer averaged life-time.

Today, the design of a wind turbine controller is isolated from the structural and aerodynamic design; the controller is considered as an add-on to a pre-determined and fixed aeroelastic design. New aero-servo-elastic models and methods are developed in this project, which enable the design of a wind turbine in a concurrent aero-servo-elastic process. Models, methods, and guidelines for concurrent aero-servo-elastic design of wind turbines are the main novel elements of this project. Other technical and scientific elements are the comparison of new model-based controllers with todayâs traditional controllers, and the development of robust/adaptive controllers that adapt to variations in the operational conditions for the turbine.