Scaling of composite wind turbine blades for rotors of 80 to 120 meter diameter

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Partnerships for Advanced C omponent Technologies (WindPACT) Program, a scaling study was performed oil composite wind turbine blades. The study's objectives were to assess the s caling of current commercial blade materials and manufacturing technologies for rotors of 80 to 120 meters in diameter, to develop scaling curves of e stimated weight and cost for rotor blades in that size range, and to identi fy practical limitations to the scaling of current conventional blade manuf acturing and materials. Aerodynamic and structural calculations were perfor med for a matrix of baseline blade design parameters, and the results were used as a basis for constructing a computational scaling model. The scaling model was then used to calculate structural properties for a wide range of aerodynamic designs and rotor sizes. Blade designs were evaluated oil the basis of power performance, weight, static strength in flapwise bending, fa tigue life in edgewise bending, and tip deflection under design loads. Calc ulated results were compared with weight data for current commercial blades , and limitations were identified for scaling lip the baseline blade config urations. A series of parametric analyses was performed to quantify the wei ght reductions possible by modifying the baseline design and to identify th e practical limits of those modifications. The model results provide insigh t into the competing design considerations involved in scaling up current c ommercial blade designs.