The University of Edinburgh – FastBlade
TA53 – UNIEdinburgh-FastBlade
Location
FastBlade, Building 29 (The Dutch Barn), Watt Road, Rosyth Business Park
KY11 2YD Rosyth, United Kingdom
Description
FastBlade offers structural fatigue testing of tidal turbine blades and other large composite structures. We have 4 unique state-of-the-art digital displacement hydraulic pumps, which offer the ability to recover up to 80% of the energy used during fatigue testing. The digital displacement technology allows both pumping and motoring, meaning the flow of hydraulic fluid can be reversed and energy stored as kinetic energy in the motors. Loads up to 3MN can be applied with bending moments of up to 15MNm on the custom-built test frame, capable of handling specimens up to 12m long, 3m wide weighing up to 20 Tonnes. Eight hydraulic rams are available for multi-axis loading with servo valves for fine control and direct control from the pumps for high-speed / high flow rate movements.
FastBlade offers bespoke data acquisition setups including strain, force, position, temperature & pressure with over 200 logging channels available. Full-field measurements such as 3D digital image correlation with up to 6 cameras measuring 360° around the specimen in a fully calibrated volume.
Specimens can be prepared in our mechanical and electrical workshops with space available for building load introduction systems, test fames as well as instrumentation preparation.
We support research into the structural performance and failure mechanisms of stiff slender composite structures, with a particular focus on the tidal energy sector, but our services are generally applicable to multiple other sectors including civil, aerospace & marine.
Static Testing: General testing of composite structures to understand performance and failure modes. The tests can be performed using our strong wall enabling cantilever support for blade tests, or custom test setups can be designed to meet clients' requirements.
Fatigue testing: FastBlade offers accelerated fatigue testing at rates of up to 1 Hz for full-scale tidal tests, meaning millions of full load cycles can be applied in a relatively short period of time. Test rates up to 5Hz can be achieved on component scale tests using servo actuators.
Certification: FastBlade aims to offer testing as a certified ISO 17025 test centre by 2025, allowing the full certification of turbine blades and other structures before deployment.
Analysis: Fastblade offers analysis services pre and post-testing, we have dedicated staff able to offer site analysis, load case design, test design and materials simulation in order to offer the most accurate, cost-effective testing. We then offer data analysis of the test results including failure analysis,
Machine Learning & AI: By using machine learning and AI algorithms along with out full field and point measurements on the specimens we are able to offer design and instrumentation suggestions to enable the most effective placement of sensors to pre-emptively identify failures and structural performance indicators with minimal interference with the blade structure.
Testing Capabilities
FastBlade can perform structural testing on any stiff slender composite structures which fit within the space and load constraints of our facility. These can include 3 or 4-point bending tests, cantilever blade bending tests, load certification tests, also including fatigue of capabilities for all test types.
Technical Equipment
The equipment at FastBlade cannot be booked separately, the entire facility is all covered under one day rate. The equipment includes:
General Facility access:
The FASTBLADE facility features a main test hall 27m long x 18m wide. The bay is approximately 12m high with vehicle access inside the hall for the delivery of equipment and specimens.
At the rear of the test hall, there is the main office block where clients will have access to:
- Control Room
- Classroom
- Offices
- Kitchen
- 2x Toilet
- Shower
- Electrical Workshop
- Mechanical Workshop
We have the following equipment available on site for use during testing:
- 5T Electric Forklift
- Boom Lift (Genie Z30)
- Drill Press
- Band Saw
- Mag-Drill
- Hydraulic Bolt Tensioners (M36, M42, M48, M72)
- Air Compressor
- General Hand Tools for Electrical and Mechanical work
- 3 Phase power is available in the test hall if required for additional equipment
The test hall has 2 overhead travelling cranes, both radio-controlled. Each crane is rated to 10T SWL and can be operated either independently or synchronised for combined lifts up to 20T SWL. The maximum hook height is 7m.
Reaction Frame
The main reaction frame features a 12m x 2.9m loading area, and a strong wall with various mounting bolt patterns out to 2000mm diameter. Up to 15MNm blade root bending moment up to 3MN in shear loading is possible on the reaction frame.
Hydraulic pumps
Four digital displacement hydraulic pumps are available to supply hydraulic power for the testing. A total flow rate of 880L/min at 420 Bar is available.
Actuators
- Four actuators rated up to 500kN per actuator with a 1000mm stroke
- Four actuators rated up to 500kN per actuator with a 300mm stroke
Control hardware and instrumentation
A National Instruments control and acquisition system is used, with a time-synchronised network of DAQ hardware.
The analogue channels available are:
- 48 x 4-20mA current channels
- 80 x +/-10V Voltage channels
- 40 x Thermocouple channels
- 60x Strain bridge channels
In addition, there are 5V, 24V, CANbus, RS232 and RS485 digital channels available.
The control system is customised to meet the demands of FastBlade and can be tailored to test in anyway way with up to 8 actuators, controlled from any analogue channel.
Instrumentation
The instrumentation available includes:
- 8x loadcells rated to 500kN
- 14 accelerometers
- 2 laser position sensors
- 4 linear string potentiometers
- 8 linear actuator position sensors
Advanced sensing systems
There are advanced measurement systems available in the form of:
- 8 Camera digital image correlation system for full-field strain mapping
- 4 camera motion tracking system for 6dof motion tracking of specimens
- Thermal cameras for test monitoring
Additional information
Technology Readiness Level: 7 or above
Special considerations: N/A
Technology clusters: Materials for Energy, Ocean Energy
Website: https://www.fastblade.eng.ed.ac.uk/
Availability: All the year
Provision of tools to prepare data sets in a FAIR way: Yes
