Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in the academic community. We look forward to seeing you there!
PO243: Cantilever test bench for characterization of blade shape sensing solutions
António Vaz, Fiber Optics Expert, Fibersail
Abstract
To face the growing need for immediate vision on the operating equipment of wind farms, Fibersail developed a continuous-beam shape sensor (FSSS) instrumented with fiber-optic sensing technology for wind turbine (WT) blades. This sensor has a distinctive property of being able to be installed continuously from the root to the tip of the blade, providing feedback on the actual behaviour of a WT blade in real time. Fibersail keeps working on developing and improving the quality and robustness of the FSSS, which means subjecting the FSSS to the closest to operation conditions as possible within the Fibersail installations. To answer these needs, a unique nine-meter-long test bench (Fixed Test Bench) composed by cantilevered beam as a scaled model for a WT blade was designed and validated. The test bench is capable of imposing deflections on the tip of the beam in both Flapwise (vertical) and Edgewise (horizontal) directions with an accurate control of the positioning. Sensing solutions for WT blades can be evaluated on a small-scale setup using this new test bench. Regarding the sensor solution of the FSSS, there are no available standards or set-ups to measure it. In this work, the FSSS is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the fixed test bench. The calculated output of the tip position is compared against the actual test bench tip position, to assess intrinsic characteristics such as resolution, accuracy, and precision. The design of the test bench also allows for testing the sensor installation methods that can be used, and how it affects the sensor behaviour and output as the test bench simulates blade deflections.
