Finished projects 2016

The main focus of the joint "Smart Blades" project is developing intelligent rotor blades for future turbine generations. Smart-Blade technologies cause researchers to expect a considerable reduction in the loads, which affect rotor blades. This enables an aerodynamically optimized and lighter design of wind energy turbines so that less material will be used for turbine construction. Through design changes cost savings for material and logistics can be achieved and the turbine’s service life increased. BMWi, 12/2012 - 02/2016

Fraunhofer IWES Northwest is coordinating the project and its contribution to the project is the simulation of realistic, non-stationary wind fields and aerodynamic simulations. The objective is to improve the prediction accuracy of front edge noise models significantly by means of a more realistic simulation and thus avoid expensive mistakes in rotor blade development which could previously only be identified in the prototype phase. BMWi, 10/2012 - 09/2016

Development of methods to increase the availability of wind power installations in climatically cold regions of Germany and Northern Europe - The aim is to develop methods which reproduce the ice deposition on the rotor blades in order to determine how it affects the performance and the structural fatigue of a wind turbine, and subsequently to derive methods which can predict the icing up risk of wind turbines in order to estimate energy generation losses. BMWi, 10/2013 - 09/2016

Rotor blades are exposed to severe environmental conditions: rain, hail, sand, salty sea water and dirt, which all lead to soiling and roughening of paint and coating systems on the leading edge of the blades. Temperature fluctuations and UV radiation further intensify these effects. Ultimately, this leads to material abrasion and crack formation which can cause lower wind turbine efficiency and higher noise emissions. To evaluate the performance of coating systems Fraunhofer IWES has developed a rain erosion test rig based on the rotating arm concept. BMWi, 10/2013 - 09/2016

The main focus of the BMU project „DegradO“ is degradation under the influence of offshore environmental conditions. At present, in the growing wind industry there is a lack of procedures for the simulation of load and environmental conditions. In the course of the project, new testing methods for investigations into the degradation processes in wind turbines and their components will be developed. BMWi, 11/2012 - 05/2016

The project scrutinies if guidelines for fibre-optic sensors and system components used in offshore applications need a retrofit and assessment. The process of installation, repair and replacement are under examination. BMWi, 10/2014 - 09/2016

As part of the AVATAR project, a comprehensive measurement and simulation programme shall promote new findings on the wind shadow effects of large wind farms; this will be done by comparing the flow conditions of “alpha ventus” and “BARD Offshore 1”. BMWi, 01/2012 - 05/2016