As part of the DLR MERwind project, the Institute is producing a fluid-structure interaction environment for wind turbines, where simulation and interaction methods are being transferred from the field of rotary-wing aircraft. The interaction environment provides interfaces with the aerodynamic and structural modelling activities of project partners so that they can be included in the project’s cross-institute multidisciplinary simulation chain and be used as part of the parameter investigations. The aim of the project is to produce guidelines for the design of wind turbines taking all relevant disciplines into account.
The movements and deformations of wind turbine components are simulated in SIMPACK, while the aerodynamic loads are calculated with TAU. The coupling with a CFD method offers the advantage of analysing the entire flow field, which results in an extremely accurate calculation of the aerodynamic loads.
Using the interaction environment shown in the image below, time domain steady and unsteady simulations are conducted and used to investigate forced response behaviour and aeroelastic stability, as well as to calculate extremely accurate loads for the project partners’ design process.
New activities in aeroelastic tailoring for wind turbine rotor blades are being conducted as part of the Smart Blades project. These activities include the calculation of dynamic aeroelastic behaviour and a specific application of orthotropic properties of fibre-composite laminates to reduce cyclical operating loads.