The test hall of the Large Scale Facility

BLATIGUE-2

Fast, Smart and Efficient Fatigue Testing of Large Wind Turbine Blades

The purpose of BLATIGUE-2 is to develop a suite of software, tools and methods to enable significantly faster, realistic and more efficient fatigue testing methods for large wind turbine blades. The combined solutions will increase the quality of blade testing to reduce unplanned blade repairs by an estimated 10% and reduce the time to market for new blade designs significantly.

The project will focus on developing and demonstrating four technologies, which are key parts of the overall solution. These technologies will be commercialized and brought to the market by four of the partners.

  • Smart fatigue test exciter with software (R&D Test Systems A/S)
    This will enable end-users to plan, execute and evaluate multi-axis fatigue tests better and faster with more comprehensive test coverage and more realistic loading conditions.
  • Product Data Management, digitalization and consultancy services (Juel+Krøyer A/S)
    The data management solution and accompanying consultancy service will address a major inefficiency gap between the physics/engineering and business of companies which will lead to a faster certification process and frontloading of knowledge.

  • Virtual sensing technology (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær A/S)
    The virtual sensing technology will significantly reduce the need for physical sensors and data acquisition channels which will reduce CAPEX for hardware and sensor investments and reduce man-hours and testing time

  • Non-contact measurement hardware and consultant services (Zebicon A/S)
    The new measurement hardware will provide much more comprehensive data with full field measurements instead of point measurements. It also enables reduced time for instrumenting blades for testing and reduce a current problem related to the need to replace sensors during testing

The project also develop and demonstrate other technologies. These are: Testing method for blade segments, Full commercial lab-scene for performing multi-axis fatigue testing, 1D mass solution for large blades, Non-contact inspection solution & Blade test standards. In total BLATIGUE-2 is estimated to increase the combined annual turnover of the involved companies by 350 million DKK and create >150 new jobs by 5-7 years after project completion.