Analysis of Load Reduction Possibilities using a Hydraulic Soft Yaw System for a 5-MW Turbine and its Sensitivity to Yaw-Bearing Friction

Jason Jonkman; Søren Stubkier; Henrik Pedersen

doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2014.01.022

Analysis of Load Reduction Possibilities using a Hydraulic Soft Yaw System for a 5-MW Turbine and its Sensitivity to Yaw-Bearing Friction

Jason Jonkman, Søren Stubkier, Henrik Pedersen

National Wind Technology Center

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus Citations

Abstract

With the increasing size of wind turbines and with increasing lifetime demands, new methods for load reduction in the turbines need to be examined. One method is to make the yaw system of the turbine flexible, thereby dampening the loads to the system. This paper presents a hydraulic soft yaw concept and investigates the effect this has on critical loads in the turbine. To analyze the system, a novel friction model is developed and implemented for the yaw system using the NREL 5-MW turbine in the aerodynamic code FAST. Based on this model, the influence of friction is investigated and the results on load reduction for three different design load cases are presented and discussed. From the investigation, it is found that load reductions of up to 40% on fatigue loads and 37% on ultimate loads are possible when considering the yaw system.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	123-134
Number of pages	12
Journal	Engineering Structures
Volume	69
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2014.01.022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2014.01.022
State	Published - 2014

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5000-60463

Keywords

Friction
Load reduction
Soft yaw
Yaw system

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title = "Analysis of Load Reduction Possibilities using a Hydraulic Soft Yaw System for a 5-MW Turbine and its Sensitivity to Yaw-Bearing Friction",

abstract = "With the increasing size of wind turbines and with increasing lifetime demands, new methods for load reduction in the turbines need to be examined. One method is to make the yaw system of the turbine flexible, thereby dampening the loads to the system. This paper presents a hydraulic soft yaw concept and investigates the effect this has on critical loads in the turbine. To analyze the system, a novel friction model is developed and implemented for the yaw system using the NREL 5-MW turbine in the aerodynamic code FAST. Based on this model, the influence of friction is investigated and the results on load reduction for three different design load cases are presented and discussed. From the investigation, it is found that load reductions of up to 40% on fatigue loads and 37% on ultimate loads are possible when considering the yaw system.",

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AU - Stubkier, Søren

AU - Pedersen, Henrik

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

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AB - With the increasing size of wind turbines and with increasing lifetime demands, new methods for load reduction in the turbines need to be examined. One method is to make the yaw system of the turbine flexible, thereby dampening the loads to the system. This paper presents a hydraulic soft yaw concept and investigates the effect this has on critical loads in the turbine. To analyze the system, a novel friction model is developed and implemented for the yaw system using the NREL 5-MW turbine in the aerodynamic code FAST. Based on this model, the influence of friction is investigated and the results on load reduction for three different design load cases are presented and discussed. From the investigation, it is found that load reductions of up to 40% on fatigue loads and 37% on ultimate loads are possible when considering the yaw system.

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JF - Engineering Structures

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Analysis of Load Reduction Possibilities using a Hydraulic Soft Yaw System for a 5-MW Turbine and its Sensitivity to Yaw-Bearing Friction

Abstract

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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