On Down-Scaled Modelling of Wind Turbine Drivetrains

Abstract

Gearbox testing is an important and complex task that will become even more challenging as the wind industry moves towards ever-growing turbines. The burden of this task can be decreased by using reduced-scale models with similar characteristics as its industrial-scale equivalent. This work presents a step-by-step procedure to down-scale a gearbox to different fractions of its rated power while preserving its core properties: structural safety and frequency distribution. The parameters to be scaled are sub-divided according to their relation to the system's integrity and dynamic behavior. After performing an overall scaling, it is possible to fine-tune the scaling factors, according to the user precision requirements. Simulations show that it is possible to down-scale a gearbox to 0.01 % of its rated power while having less than 10 % relative deviation on its pitting safety factor. These preliminary results show that wind turbine drivetrain testing can become more affordable by using down-scaled models in a structured manner.