Case study Korea Aerospace University Structural Design, Analysis, and Testing of a 10 kW Fabric-Covered Wind Turbine Blade The aerodynamic shape of the blade as designed by the Korea Institute of Energy Research Korea is vying to win the race to build the most sustainable cities. The Korean government is heavily investing in renewable energy with its Green New Deal including plans to build the world’s largest offshore wind power plant. A project of this magnitude could not be undertaken without world class research facilities poised to answer tough engineering challenges. The experts at the Korea Institute of Energy Research are determined and dedicated to carbon neutrality. The Wind Energy research group is strategically focused on developing wind turbine technology, conducting performance testing, and performing certification. Their expertise in structural and aerodynamic design and analysis is helping to put Korea’s Green New Deal into practice.
Transcript
Case study
Korea Aerospace UniversityStructural Design, Analysis, and Testing of a 10 kW Fabric-Covered Wind Turbine Blade
The aerodynamic shape of the blade as designed by the Korea Institute of Energy Research
Korea is vying to win the race to build the most sustainable cities. The Korean government is heavily investing in renewable energy with its Green New Deal including plans to build the world’s largest offshore wind power plant. A project of this magnitude could not be undertaken without world class research facilities poised to answer tough engineering challenges.
The experts at the Korea Institute of Energy Research are determined and dedicated to carbon neutrality. The Wind Energy research group is strategically focused on developing wind turbine technology, conducting performance testing, and performing certification. Their expertise in structural and aerodynamic design and analysis is helping to put Korea’s Green New Deal into practice.
The concept of a fabric-covered wind turbine (WT) blade
The 3D blade finite element model
The structural analysis results of the 3D blade model (left) deflection and (right) Tsai-Wu Failure criteria indexes
Challenge
Wind turbines have become larger in size due to increased demands on power generating efficiency, which has in turn introduced challenges in construction, transportation, and installation. Reducing the weight of the blades has become a major issue.
General Electric (GE) Co. and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have introduced a fabric-covered wind turbine blade [1] that reduces the weight and manufacturing cost of wind turbine blades. It is a formidable engineering challenge in weight balance, it is difficult to save weight when the added mass of the fabric skin requires modifications to maintain the buckling margins.
There are a lot of variables to consider, materials, shape, ribs, spars, and simulation provides a suitable development platform to explore such design trade-offs.
Solution
The Mechanical Engineering group at Korea Aerospace University lead by Dr Dong-Kuk Choi did a computational and experimental study of fabric-covered blades to confirm that their structural integrity would be similar to typical wind turbine blades. A smaller 10 kW composite wind turbine blade was selected because such a blade can be built and tested in a university laboratory.
The blade was designed on the cross-section using variational asymptotic beam sectional analysis (VABS), structural analysis was carried out using MSC Nastran for the design loads. The wind turbine was simulated under multiple operating conditions including normal power production, shut down, emergency shut down and park.
[1] Fang, B.; Olson, S.H.; Lin,W.W.; Krishnamurthy, S.; Haridasu, B.; Kashiram, P.; Daggumati, S.; Subramanian, S.; Finn, S.R.; Kulmi, U.; et al. Wind Turbine Rotor Blade with Fabric Skin and Associated Method for Assembly. U.S. Patent US13/664,603, 31 October 2012
Modal, Static and other structural analysis determined that the main spar could sustain the shear loads and would safely operate.
Results
One of MSC Nastran’s unique strengths has always been in its accuracy to match real world test data. The difference between the experimental results and analysis results in this study was incredibly close < 10%.
In this study the FEA results were compared to a modal test apparatus with uniaxial acceleration sensors, an impact hammer and a DAQ system. In the testing rig a uniaxial acceleration sensor convert the acceleration with flapwise and edgewise direction to an electric signal which the impact hammer applies as an excitation to the blade. The DAQ system then measures the acceleration data while the blade is vibrating. The blade was tested under multiple loads and multiple configurations including edgewise and flap wise orientations. MSC Nastran matched the experiment within 7.37% flapwise and 9.45% edgewise.
Having an accurate FEA model of a fabric covered blade will significantly help the renewable energy community build a more sustainable future.
Founded in 1952 as a national university, Korea Aerospace University (KAU) has been Korea’s one and only educational and research institution in the area of aviation and aerospace. It has been KAU’s duty to foster highly skilled experts in aerospace fields. KAU graduates and alumni currently account for the biggest portion of active pilots and air traffic controllers in Korea. KAU continues to innovate the framework of education and research in line with the transformations in the future. Through our founding principle that fosters pioneering spirit KAU will lead the world as we overcome boundaries and create new paths.
This work was published in Energies June 2020 and was completed by Dong-Kuk Choi, Bong-Do Pyeon, Soo-Yong Lee, Hak-Gu Lee and Jae-Sung Bae.94.73
The experimental and numerical modal frequencies as compared to physical testing.
First Mode Second Mode
Fourth ModeThird Mode
Key Highlights Product: MSC Nastran
Industry: Energy, Renewables, Wind Turbines
Benefits: This story highlights exceptional engineering research being done to further the development of wind turbines and expand renewable energy.
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