DIMOR research project

Project title: DIMOR – Validated Dynamic Inflow Models for Inhomogeneous Inflow of Large Offshore Wind Turbine Rotors

Summary:

The DIMOR project aims to improve and validate aerodynamic models for the design of large rotors of offshore and onshore wind turbines in order to further reduce the energy production costs. Improved accuracy of aerodynamic models will reduce the development risks of very large wind turbines. The binational cooperation between the Netherlands and Germany under the umbrella of the SET Wind initiative consists of two complementary, nationally funded sub-projects. Aeroelastic simulations based on industrially applied sheet element momentum theory have shown significant uncertainties in modeling and overestimation of fatigue loads due to the highly inhomogeneous and dynamic inflow.

Content and Methodology:

At ForWind, advanced wind tunnel investigations will be performed using an active grid to generate realistic wind fields with shear, turbulence and gusts, a controllable instrumented model wind turbine, and extensive flow measurement technology. Hereby, the gap between classical wind tunnel experiments in homogeneous inflow and free field investigations can be filled. Aeroelastic simulations with Free Vortex Wake models at TNO, The Netherlands will be used to extend the data set. Hereby, improved engineering models and their implementation for a more accurate representation of the dynamic inflow effect in realistic inhomogeneous inflow will be researched and validated. The free field experiments carried out by the industrial partner Suzlon Energy Ltd. in Germany and the Netherlands, respectively, and further simulation studies are to be used for validation and evaluation on the basis of real plants. The effect of the improvements on the control and loads will be investigated. The improved aerodynamic modeling, which can be implemented in industrial design software, will be available to the entire wind energy industry.