The objective is to improve the technology of distributed load control to a level where it can be demonstrated in real atmospheric conditions on medium size turbines before the final step of application to very large turbines. This will be achieved by the development of (parts of) rotor blades with sensors, actuators, control devices and power supply, supported by laboratory experiments and subsequent testing of concepts on medium sized wind turbines. Development of new modelling tools for fluid-structure-control-interactions to simulate the aero-elastic stability under realistic stochastic wind perturbations is also performed. The following subtasks will be conducted:
Subtask 2.3.1.
Novel active and passive load alleviation concepts: New distributed load control capabilities will be investigated and developed. It is foreseen, that a mix of existing control capabilities (by blade pitching), and the following new concepts will give the highest load reduction.
- Passive flow control by embedded bending-torsion or bending-camber couplings developed in task 2.2.2.
- Active flow control by fast moving flaps, morphing airfoil concepts, or other devices
- Development of sensors, actuators (including fluidic flexible matrix component actuators), aerodynamic devices, new controllers and wind tunnel testing will support the development of new active flow control technologies
Subtask 2.3.2.
Full scale and scaled application and test. The down-selected distributed load control concept will be evaluated, developed and integrated into a blade structure. Tests of a full-scale blade equipped with local control devices, as well as wind tunnel aero-elastically scaled models, will show the potential of the concept.