Structure/Aerodynamic Nonlinear Dynamic Simulation Analysis of Long, Flexible Blade of Wind Turbine

Xiangqian Zhu (), Siming Yang, Zhiqiang Yang, Chang Cai, Lei Zhang, Qing’an Li () and Jin-Hwan Choi
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Xiangqian Zhu: Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of MOE, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Siming Yang: College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150006, China
Zhiqiang Yang: Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of MOE, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Chang Cai: Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Lei Zhang: Goldwind Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100176, China
Qing’an Li: Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Jin-Hwan Choi: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-21

Abstract: To meet the requirements of geometric nonlinear modeling and bending–torsion coupling analysis of long, flexible offshore blades, this paper develops a high-precision engineering simplified model based on the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF). The model considers nonlinear variations in linear density, stiffness, and aerodynamic center along the blade span and enables efficient computation of 3D nonlinear deformation using 1D beam elements. Material and structural function equations are established based on actual 2D airfoil sections, and the chord vector is obtained from leading and trailing edge coordinates to calculate the angle of attack and aerodynamic loads. Torsional stiffness data defined at the shear center is corrected to the mass center using the axis shift theorem, ensuring a unified principal axis model. The proposed model is employed to simulate the dynamic behavior of wind turbine blades under both shutdown and operating conditions, and the results are compared to those obtained from the commercial software Bladed. Under shutdown conditions, the blade tip deformation error in the y-direction remains within 5% when subjected only to gravity, and within 8% when wind loads are applied perpendicular to the rotor plane. Under operating conditions, although simplified aerodynamic calculations, structural nonlinearity, and material property deviations introduce greater discrepancies, the x-direction deformation error remains within 15% across different wind speeds. These results confirm that the model maintains reasonable accuracy in capturing blade deformation characteristics and can provide useful support for early-stage dynamic analysis.

Keywords: wind turbine blade; geometric nonlinearity; absolute nodal coordinate formulation; aerodynamic load; dynamic modeling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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