New experimental research facility to identify the weakest points of wind turbine blades

With the explosive growth within wind energy and several turbines with blades of 60 meters or more, there is a greater need for research into the design and structure of blades. If you just upgrade the blades without simultaneously optimizing them, the weight will increase faster than the wind turbine performance.

The huge blades get relatively very heavy and therefore uneconomic if you only improve their strength by adding more material. Therefore the scientists are now working with other forms of reinforcement, for example, change of structure and support of the blade precisely where it is weakest.

“By using the latest knowledge and reinforcing the blades, we expect that the weight of tomorrow's blades can be reduced substantially,” says Find Mølholt Jensen who is head of the new research test facility. Find Mølholt's PhD thesis focused on this issue, and based on his inventions Risø DTU has patented several reinforcements. One of the inventions, for instance, has proved to increase buckling strength by 30-40 percent. The implementation in the manufacturing process still remains, but Risø DTU hopes that this can be solved together with the manufactures.

Experimental Research Facility for Blade Structure
There is room for a 30-40 meter wind turbine blade in the big hall which now opens with the name Experimental Research Facility for Blade Structure. SSP Technology A/S has donated a 34m blade and the blade has been mounted with different kinds of measuring equipment, which differ significantly from the way traditionally commercial tests are performed today. 3D measuring equipment is funded by DTU globalization funds based on a joint application from Risø DTU, DTU Mechanical Engineering and DTU Civil Engineering.

The many tests and measurements are going to be used to validate seven patents on various structural reinforcements which have been taken out by Risø DTU during the past 3-5 years. They will also make it possible to evaluate and improve the methods which are being used to approve wind turbine blades

The official inauguration will be the festive end of Wind Day 2008 held by the Danish Research Consortium for Wind Energy. Director Henrik Bindslev will be present and there will be lectures on research into blade design.

All latest news from the category: Power and Electrical Engineering

This topic covers issues related to energy generation, conversion, transportation and consumption and how the industry is addressing the challenge of energy efficiency in general.

innovations-report provides in-depth and informative reports and articles on subjects ranging from wind energy, fuel cell technology, solar energy, geothermal energy, petroleum, gas, nuclear engineering, alternative energy and energy efficiency to fusion, hydrogen and superconductor technologies.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors