Offshore wind turbine blades measurement using Coherent Laser Radar

To maximize aerodynamic efficiency, large-scale offshore wind turbine blades require inspection during the production stage to ensure strict tolerance requirements are met. During production, the blade is fixed at the root, restricting movement in the Z direction. X, Y, Rx, Ry and Rz remain unconstrained causing blade flex due to gravity. This deforms the blade away from the theoretical CAD blade location, causing measurement results that do not accurately represent the blade profile. Measurement error can be minimized using rigorous B-spline data alignment. Such alignment compensates for blade flex by varying the constrained Degrees of Freedom (DoF), and provides manufacturers with confidence in the design process. This paper used Coherent Laser Radar and Spatial Analyzer to establish the optimal constrained DoF variation, giving the most accurate data alignment solution. Of the constraints investigated, the optimal data transformation solution was found with a double B-spline alignment method, whilst constraining movement in Y, Z and Ry.