This paper considers two distinct topics that arise in reliability-based wind turbine design. First, it illustrates how general probability models can be used to predict long-term design loads from a set of limited-duration, short-term load histories. Second, it considers in detail the precise choice of probability model to be adopted, for both flap and edge bending loads in both parked and operating turbine conditions. In particular, a 3-moment random peak model and a 3- or 4-moment random process model are applied and compared. For a parked turbine, all models are found to be virtually unbiased and to notably reduce uncertainty in estimating extreme loads (e.g., by roughly 50%). For an operating turbine, however, only the random peak model is found to retain these beneficial features. This suggests the advantage of the random peak model, which appears to capture the rotating blade behavior sufficiently well to accurately predict extremes.
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November 2001
Technical Papers
Predicting Design Wind Turbine Loads from Limited Data: Comparing Random Process and Random Peak Models
LeRoy M. Fitzwater,
e-mail: leroy.fitzwater@stanford.edu
LeRoy M. Fitzwater
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4020
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Steven R. Winterstein
Steven R. Winterstein
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4020
Search for other works by this author on:
LeRoy M. Fitzwater
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4020
e-mail: leroy.fitzwater@stanford.edu
Steven R. Winterstein
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4020
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING. Manuscript received by the ASME Solar Energy Division, March 2001; final revision, July 2001. Associate Editor: D. Berg.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Nov 2001, 123(4): 364-371 (8 pages)
Published Online: July 1, 2001
Article history
Received:
March 1, 2001
Revised:
July 1, 2001
Citation
Fitzwater, L. M., and Winterstein, S. R. (July 1, 2001). "Predicting Design Wind Turbine Loads from Limited Data: Comparing Random Process and Random Peak Models ." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. November 2001; 123(4): 364–371. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1409561
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