Highly Accelerated Lifetime Test Setup for Seals in Wind Turbine Pitch Systems
Translated title
Højt Accelereret Levetidstestopstilling til Pakninger i Vindmølle-Pitchsystemer
Authors
Jensen, Anton Emil Hvidberg ; Versteegen, Robert ; Pedersen, Daniel Dieter
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-29
Pages
81
Abstract
This thesis develops and begins to validate a Highly Accelerated Life Test (HALT) setup for seals used in the hydraulic pitch systems of wind turbines. The goal is to recreate realistic operating conditions in a controlled, speeded-up way. The work presents a two-stage, electrically driven test rig that can reproduce micro-pitching, meaning the small, frequent adjustments of blade angle that occur in service. A custom hydraulic test cylinder is designed to exceed normal pitch-system conditions, allowing several acceleration methods to be applied at the same time. A preliminary seal wear test using the new actuation mechanism partly confirms that the two-stage electric design is workable. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the tested seal shows clear wear after only 3.3 km of sliding at 80 bar, although some manufacturing marks remain. The rig is still awaiting key parts; not all functions are implemented, and full validation has not yet been completed.
Denne afhandling udvikler og påbegynder validering af en HALT-opstilling (højt accelereret levetidstest) til test af tætninger i hydrauliske pitchsystemer i vindmøller. Målet er at genskabe realistiske driftsforhold på en kontrolleret og hurtigere måde. Arbejdet præsenterer en to-trins, elektrisk aktueret testopstilling, der kan efterligne micro-pitching, dvs. små og hyppige justeringer af bladvinklen under drift. En specialdesignet hydraulisk testcylinder er konstrueret til at overstige normale driftsforhold i et pitchsystem, så flere former for accelerering kan anvendes samtidig. En foreløbig slidtest af tætninger med den nye aktuering har delvist vist, at det to-trins elektriske design er brugbart. SEM-billeder (scanningelektronmikroskopi) af den testede tætning viser tydeligt slid efter kun 3,3 km bevægelse ved 80 bar, selv om nogle fremstillingsspor stadig er synlige. Opstillingen afventer fortsat vigtige komponenter; ikke alle funktioner er implementeret, og fuld validering er endnu ikke gennemført.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
Keywords