High-Reynolds-number wind turbine blade equipped with root spoilers – Part 2: Impact on energy production and turbine lifetime

Abstract

A wind turbine blade equipped with root spoilers is analysed using time domain aeroelastic blade element momentum (BEM) simulations to assess the impact of passive devices on the turbine annual energy production (AEP) and lifetime. Previous 2D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) showed a large unsteadiness in aerodynamic coefficients associated with the spoiler, and such behaviour is captured by the OpenFAST simulations when all degrees of freedom are switched off. Once the turbine is fully flexible, a novel way to account for aerofoil-generated unsteadiness in the fatigue calculation is proposed and detailed. The outcome shows that spoilers, on average, can increase the AEP of the turbine. However, the structural impacts on the turbine can be severe if not accounted for initially in the turbine design.