Duration: 5 minutes
Video: Performing a power curve calculation
Step-by-step instructions
1. Open the Demo_a project (if not open)
In Bladed, File > Open > demo_a.prj (this project is located within the Bladed application folder, e.g. C:\DNV\Bladed 4.18\DemoModels\Demo_a\demo_a.prj).
2. View the settings for the Steady Power Curve calculation
Double-click the Steady power Curve in the Calculations window to open it.
Here you can set the Minimum and maximum wind speeds, and the number of Steps you'd like to calculate and investigate. If you select Yes for the Calculate Pitch and Speed Change these will be automatically calculated by the controller.
Click OK to save changes and close the dialog.
3. View the Control System inputs
Click the Control icon from the main navigation window to set the inputs for the controller.
4. Define the Controller behavior
By modifying the parameters in the sections Torque-speed curve below rated and Above Rated: Pitch Regulated Speed you can influence the Power Curve calculation. You can leave the default settings or change them if you prefer.
Click OK when you are finished to close the dialog window.
5. Run simulation
Click Run Now in the Calculations window.
6. Choose a Run Name and specify the location for the calculation output
In the Output settings window, try renaming the run using the Run Name field. Now select a new sub-folder in the directory (you can either select the results folder, or create a new folder by editing the file path and typing the new folder's name).
7. Run the simulation
Click OK to run simulation.
8. Open Bladed Results Viewer
You can use the Windows search feature to find and launch the software.
9. Add calculations to view
Click the Add calculations button located near the left hand corner. Find the steady power curve calculation output folder that you created earlier and click Open to add it.
Use the Output group dropdown to select the Steady power curve. This will then display a list of variables below, plot the following by by double-clicking them: Electrical Power, Pitch Angle, Rotor speed and the Tip Speed Ratio.
10. Analyze the plots on the graph
For an explanation of the plots, see the video from 2:36.
Key learnings
- How to use the Data View functionality within Bladed to visualise results on the graph and within tables.
- How to define, run and investigate results for Steady Power Curve simulations to help answer these questions:
- What is the rated wind speed of the turbine?
- How are the blades pitched above rated wind speed?
- What is the maximum thrust loading?
Knowledge check
Question
A customer wants to install the demo_a turbine on an onshore wind farm. Unfortunately, the local regulations are very stringent about the noise of the machine and their major concern is the velocity of the tip speed, which has to stay below 73 m/s.
Using the Steady Power Curve calculation, determine the maximum velocity at the tip of the blade the wind turbine model reaches rated power. What is it?
- 60.9 m/s
- 75.4 m/s
- 79.4 m/s
Answer
75.4 m/s