Probabilistic Methods for Design and Planning of Operation and Maintenance of Wind Turbines

Dear Colleagues,

Wind turbines are renewable energy devices that have the potential to contribute significantly to the production of electricity worldwide. Probabilistic design of wind turbines can be based on the general decision making levels for engineering design as stated in ISO2394:2015, these are: 1) risk-informed decision making; 2) reliability-based decision making (probabilistic design); 3) semi-probabilistic approach (using partial safety factors). For the probabilistic design of wind turbines, reliability analyses are essential to be carried out for critical components in a wind turbine, which can be divided into three categories of structural, mechanical and electrical components. Design load cases to be considered in probabilistic design includes: fatigue, extreme loads during operation, in parked position and in fault conditions. Another important aspect in the stochastic modelling is to include all available information from experience, and tests on the coupon level, subcomponent level and full-scale level as well as measurements on climatic conditions. Further, choice of the target/minimum reliability level is important.

For offshore wind turbines costs to Operation and Maintenance (OM) can be significant contributors to the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE). Further, OM costs are highly dependent on the reliability of components and systems. OM is typically performed using a corrective strategy supplemented with preventive maintenance, which to some extend is based on information from condition monitoring. Generally, for wind turbines, more and more OM is being performed based on a preventive maintenance strategy. Further, risk-based approaches are being developed where a life-cycle approach is used considering the total expected costs.

Papers for this Special Issue should focus on probabilistic design, reliability assessment and reliability- and risk-based planning of OM for wind turbines.

Prof. Dr. John Dalsgaard Sørensen
Dr. Mahmood Shafiee
Guest Editors

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• probabilistic design
• wind turbines
• operation and maintenance
• risk-based methods
• reliability