A Review of State of the Art for Accelerated Testing in Fluid Power Pitch Systems

Abstract

Failures in hydraulic systems in offshore wind turbines represent an enormous challenge for manufacturers and operators, as the pitch system statistically is one of the subsystems contributing the most to the downtime of the turbines, which is the case for both electrical and hydraulic pitch systems. However, the complex failure mechanisms of the various different hydraulic components mean that, typically, the critical components of hydraulic systems must be tested to better understand the failure mechanisms. Nonetheless, conventional testing procedures are lengthy and costly. Accelerated testing plays a critical role as it can mimic hydraulic system failure mechanisms in a shorter period. However, the lack of standardized test methods and detailed knowledge about the failure-accelerating effects complicates the process. Therefore, this paper offers a comprehensive examination of approaches applicable to conducting accelerated tests on hydraulic systems. It identifies and discusses five primary component types or sub-components related to the acceleration of testing in hydraulic systems: pumps, cylinders, seals, valves, and hoses. Each section references studies that delve into accelerated testing methodologies for these individual components. Furthermore, within each component, a concise overview of the current techniques is provided, followed by a discussion and summary based on the state of the art.