Implementation of Variable Blade Inertia in OpenFAST to Integrate a Flywheel System in the Rotor of a Wind Turbine

Laurence Alhrshy
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Laurence Alhrshy: Wind Energy Technology Institute, Flensburg University of Applied Sciences, Kanzleistraße 91-93, 24943 Flensburg, Germany

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: In this paper, the integration of the dynamic behavior of the flywheel system into the load simulation tool OpenFAST is presented. The flywheel system enables a wind turbine to vary the inertia of its rotor blades to control the power production and, most importantly, to affect the vibratory behavior of wind turbine components. Consequently, in order to simulate the behavior of a wind turbine with a flywheel system in its rotor, the variable blade characteristics need to be considered in the load simulation tool. Currently, computer-aided engineering tools for simulating the mechanical loads of wind turbines are not designed to simulate variable blade inertia. Hence, the goal of this paper is to explain how variable inertias of rotor blades are implanted in such load simulation tools as OpenFAST. OpenFAST is used because of it is free, publicly available, and well documentation. Moreover, OpenFAST is open source, which allows modifications in its source code. This add-on in the load simulation is applied to correct rotor mass imbalance. It can also be applied in many cases related to the change in the inertia of wind turbine rotor blades during its operation as, for example, atmospheric ice accretion on the blades, smart blades, etc.

Keywords: flywheel; flywheel torque; load simulation; mechanical loads; OpenFAST; rotor imbalance; wind turbine (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: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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