Excitation Methods for a 60 kW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

A simple modal test to determine the first tower bending mode of a 60 kW (82 feet tall) vertical axis wind turbine was performed. The minimal response instrumentation included accelerometers mounted only at easily accessible locations part way up the tower and strain gages near the tower base. The turbine was excited in the parked condition with step relaxation, random human excitation, and wind excitation. The resulting modal parameters from the various excitation methods are compared.