Assessment of the added value of two alternative approaches for obtaining wind conditions for mechanical load measurement campaigns

摘要

Characteristic mechanical loads of the main components of a wind turbine are generally measured in the field according to the technical specification IEC 61400-13 [1] for a range of applications including certification of prototype wind turbines, validation of numerical models, assessment of the effect of new mechanical components and evaluation of effects of neighbouring wind turbines. Unless the load measurements are being carried out as part of the certification process for a new wind turbine type, the project costs and complexity resulting from the installation of a met mast cannot usually be justified. Therefore alternative approaches may improve the overall effectiveness and success of a project significantly and in many cases enable measurement campaigns to be carried out in the first place. Two alternative approaches for obtaining wind conditions for real applications of mechanical load measurements for wind farm operators are considered and assessed in this work using an example measurement campaign.