Effect of the Rudder on the Vibration Frequency of Wind Turbine

Based on the finite element theory, an analysis about the changing of rotor vibration mode of the wind turbine with and without rudder at static state, and a research was carried out to study the impact of the rudder on wind turbine vibration frequency during operation condition of a small horizontal axis wind turbine by using Ansys Workbench. The result showed that, rudder vibration mode was the coupling of rudder vibration mode and first order anti-symmetric vibration mode of rotor. With the increasing of rotating speed, wind turbine vibration frequency increased because of the stiffening effect caused by centrifugal force, and the difference of first order anti-symmetric vibration frequency and symmetric vibration frequency was decrease which was caused by the aerodynamic force. At the same time, the changing of the external load had no effect on the vibration frequency of rudder, the reason of that was counterweight of the rudder. When the rotor speed was in the resonance region, rudder vibration frequency was equal to first order anti-symmetric vibration frequency at the rotating speed n=10.91Hz, an obviously resonance phenomenon occurred. The related research could provide some theoretical guidance for the design of small wind turbine rudder.