The RATZ Project

Root Area and Transition Zone (jr. nr. 64015-0062)

A three-year demonstration project started in January 2016 with a total budget of DKK 31.3, where 50% is supported by EUDP. ​The aim is to demonstrate and develop a retrofit solution, the Floor™ (a Bladena patent), for avoiding crack development due to edgewise loading of the blade. The project address a serious problem seen in the field, which pose an extensive operation and maintenance cost for the wind turbine owners. The RATZ project was supported by the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP), which is administered by the Danish Energy Agency.​

Floor^™

The Floor™ configuration makes it possible to transfer the edgewise loads (caused by gravity) smoothly to the root section and further into the hub. The Floor™ can be seen as a horizontal shearweb and takes shear forces from the trailing edge and transfer them into the hub through the shearweb. A flat panel in this location in the blade can carry a higher degree of in-plane shear forces without a resulting “breathing/pumping” behaviour.

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