Flutter Limit Investigation for a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Blade

This work presents a new aeroelastic model that governs the extensional, chordwise, flap-wise, and torsional vibrations of an isolated horizontal axis wind turbine blade. The model accounts for the sectional offsets between the shear, aerodynamic, and mass centers. The centrifugal stiffening effects are also accounted for by including nonlinear strains based on an ordering scheme that retains terms up to second-order. Aerodynamic loading is derived based on a modified Theodorsen's theory adapted to account for the blade rotational motion. A set of four coupled nonlinear partial differential equations are derived using the Hamiltonian approach that are then linearized about the steady-state extensional position. The finite element method (FEM) is then employed to spatially discretize the resulting equations with the aim of obtaining an approximate solution to the blade's dynamic response, utilizing state space techniques and complex modal analysis. Investigation of the blade's flutter stability limit is carried out. Effects of parameters such as wind speed and blade sectional offsets on the flutter limit and dynamic response are also investigated.