Proposal of an evaluation method of equivalent fatigue load for small wind turbine blade

Abstract

This study is carried out for the purpose of collecting data that is based on the evaluation of the equivalent fatigue load for a small wind turbine. The equivalent fatigue load is indicated as the method of designing load calculation in IEC 61400-2 ed.2 DLC1.1. In this study, it is performed fatigue load test for the commercial model of the small wind turbine, and it is evaluated the applicability of S-N diagram as material specification and the material factor “m” for S-N diagram model. It is cleared that S-N diagram as material specification is able to apply to the evaluation for blade fatigue load. Moreover, it is indicated experimentally the material factor “m” of 10 to a single material of G-FRP that is composed as general small wind turbine's blades. Furthermore, it is suggested the estimated method of the equivalent fatigue load by using the fatigue load function of Simplified Load Model (SLM) and it is made a trial calculation by this method.

Keywords

• small wind turbine
• blade fatigue load test
• evaluation of equivalent fatigue load