Field test of an active flap system on a full scale wind turbine
Abstract. This article describes a series of validation tests of an active flap system (AFS) on a multi-MW wind turbine. A single blade of a 4 MW turbine with 130 m rotor diameter (SWT-4.0-130) is retrofitted in the outer 15–20 m with the AFS. The AFS is controlled remotely with a pneumatic pressure supply system located in the hub of the turbine. The measurements are performed between October 2017 and June 2019 using two different AFS configurations on the blade. A description of the system setup is given, as well as comparisons of measurements and aeroelastic simulations. The measurements quantify the static load control authority of the AFS in atmospheric conditions, providing a preliminary estimate of load impact potential for the concept. The article presents furthermore a new method for the characterization of the load impact of the system and its dynamic response based on a blade-to-blade load comparison.