Scott Ryan Lambert

US Patent:

8601878, Dec 10, 2013

Filed:

May 1, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/990069

Inventors:

Jason Cotrell - Golden CO, US
Scott Hughes - Golden CO, US
Sandy Butterfield - Golden CO, US
Scott Lambert - Boulder CO, US

Assignee:

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC - Golden CO

International Classification:

G01M 7/06
F03D 11/00
F03D 11/04
G01M 13/00
G01N 3/32
G01M 7/02
G01N 3/02

US Classification:

73663, 7311801, 73577, 73794, 73806, 73856, 738659

Abstract:

A system () for fatigue testing wind turbine blades () through forced or resonant excitation of the base () of a blade (). The system () includes a test stand () and a restoring spring assembly () mounted on the test stand (). The restoring spring assembly () includes a primary spring element () that extends outward from the test stand () to a blade mounting plate () configured to receive a base () of blade (). During fatigue testing, a supported base () of a blade () may be pivotally mounted to the test stand () via the restoring spring assembly (). The system () may include an excitation input assembly () that is interconnected with the blade mounting plate () to selectively apply flapwise, edgewise, and/or pitch excitation forces. The restoring spring assembly () may include at least one tuning spring member () positioned adjacent to the primary spring element () used to tune the spring constant or stiffness of the primary spring element () in one of the excitation directions.

US Patent:

20100275695, Nov 4, 2010

Filed:

Dec 12, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/747487

Inventors:

Jason Cotrell - Lafayette CO, US
Robert Thresher - Golden CO, US
Scott Lambert - Westminster CO, US
Scott Hughes - Lakewood CO, US
Jay Johnson - Albuquerque NM, US

Assignee:

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC - Golden CO

International Classification:

B06B 1/00

US Classification:

73663

Abstract:

An apparatus () for fatigue testing elongate test articles () including wind turbine blades through forced or resonant excitation of the base () of the test articles (). The apparatus () includes a testing platform or foundation (). A blade support () is provided for retaining or supporting a base () of an elongate test article (), and the blade support () is pivotally mounted on the testing platform () with at least two degrees of freedom of motion relative to the testing platform (). An excitation input assembly () is interconnected with the blade support () and includes first and second actuators () that act to concurrently apply forces or loads to the blade support (). The actuator forces are cyclically applied in first and second transverse directions. The test article () responds to shaking of its base () by oscillating in two, transverse directions ().