This study addresses the challenges of applying aerodynamic loads to a multibody reduced-order model based on solid finite elements. This model differs from the beam models typically used in wind turbine aeroelastic simulations, by relying on a higher-fidelity finite element model. The results show that the proposed load application methodology produces accurate structural responses, while also identifying best practices for this process.

Tropical cyclone winds are challenging for wind turbines. We analyze a tropical cyclone before landfall in a mesoscale model. The simulated wind speeds and storm structure are sensitive to the boundary parametrization. However, independent of the boundary layer parametrization, the median change in wind speed and wind direction with height is small relative to wind turbine design standards. Strong spatial organization of wind shear and veer along the rainbands may increase wind turbine loads.

This study discusses key issues when performing simulations of a dynamic power cable that is connected to a floating wind turbine. Such simulations are an important tool to asses if the floater and cable motions cause the power cable to survive or fail specific conditions, and generally assure they can fulfil their intended design life. This work describes how to model such power cables and combine that with a fully coupled model of an operating floating wind turbine.

In this work we use observations of large coherent fluctuations to define a probabilistic gust model. The gust model provides the joint description of the gust rise time, amplitude, and direction change. We perform load simulations with a coherent gust according to the wind turbine safety standard and with the probabilistic gust model. A comparison of the simulated loads shows that the loads from the probabilistic gust model can be significantly higher due to variability in the gust parameters.

This work presents a shape optimization framework based on computational fluid dynamics. The design framework is used to optimize wind turbine blade tips for maximum power increase while avoiding that extra loading is incurred. The final results are shown to align well with related literature. The resulting tip shape could be mounted on already installed wind turbines as a sleeve-like solution or be conceived as part of a modular blade with tips designed for site-specific conditions.