Real-time simulation of aeroelastic rotor loads for horizontal axis wind turbines

Wind turbine drivetrain research and test facilities with hardware-in-the-loop capabilities require a robust and accurate aeroelastic real-time rotor simulation environment. Recent simulation environments do not guarantee a computational response at real-time. Which is why a novel simulation tool has been developed. It resolves the physical time domain of the turbulent wind spectra and the operational response of the turbine at real-time conditions. Therefore, there is a trade-off between accuracy of the physical models and the computational costs. However, the study shows the possibility to preserve the necessary computational accuracy while simultaneously granting dynamic interaction with the aeroelastic rotor simulation environment. The achieved computational costs allow a complete aeroelastic rotor simulation at a resolution frequency of 100 Hz on standard computer platforms. Results obtained for the 5-MW reference wind turbine by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are discussed and compared to NREL's fatigue, aerodynamics, structures, and turbulence (FAST)- Code. The rotor loads show a convincing match. The novel simulation tool is applied to the wind turbine drivetrain test facility at the Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University to show the real-time hardware-in-the-loop capabilities