Chinese rotor blade manufacturer Sinoma has secured long-term wind tunnel capacity in Germany for the development of its next blade generation. The contract partner is Deutsche WindGuard Engineering.
New wind turbine rotor blades undergo extensive testing before deployment. The upscaling of wind turbines places high demands on testing facilities, with blades now exceeding 120 metres in length. Development and validation require different test methods, ranging from full-scale testing of complete blades to wind tunnel studies on airfoil models.
Framework Agreement Through 2030: Sinoma Gets Flexible Access to Wind Tunnel Days
Sinoma Wind Power Blade and Deutsche WindGuard Engineering signed a framework agreement at WindEnergy Hamburg. The multi-year agreement covers tests in the large-scale wind tunnel in Bremerhaven from 2026 to 2030. Sinoma thereby secures a quota of wind tunnel days that can be scheduled flexibly on fixed commercial terms, averaging several test weeks per year.
Sinoma is headquartered in Beijing, belongs to China National Building Material Group (CNBM), and develops and manufactures large rotor blades. According to the company, its blades are in operation in more than 50 countries.
“This long-term framework provides flexible access to high-quality testing and reliable experimental data, helping us accelerate innovation and advance next-generation blade development,” said Lu XiaoFeng, Vice President of Sinoma.
Deutsche WindGuard Engineering is responsible for planning, designing and installing the test set-ups and manufacturing the airfoil models with a 1.25-metre span. Based on geometry supplied by Sinoma’s engineers, it also produces all required add-ons: serrations, which are serrated trailing edges for noise reduction, and vortex generators, which influence the flow behaviour at the airfoil. Customised add-ons are produced in the company’s in-house additive manufacturing (3D printing) facility.
Large-Scale Wind Tunnel in Bremerhaven: Measurements at Up to 100 m/s for Aerodynamics and Acoustics
The acoustically optimised wind tunnel in Bremerhaven enables measurements at wind speeds of up to 100 metres per second and Reynolds numbers of up to 6 million, on a test section measuring 2.75 by 1.25 by 5 metres. Deutsche WindGuard commissioned the facility in 2008. Airfoil models are tested in the tunnel, while tests on complete blades are carried out on dedicated test rigs.
The wind tunnel can be used to examine the aerodynamic properties of airfoils, the influence of surface contamination and flow noise. Trailing-edge noise is considered the dominant noise source on a rotor blade. The tunnel also allows assessment of the noise reduction achieved by trailing-edge serrations, as well as the influence of vortex generators or flaps on lift, drag and stall behaviour.
In addition, the size and position of add-ons can be determined in order to adapt a base design, for example for low-wind or high-wind sites, or to reduce dynamic loads.
“Standardised processes ensure consistently high quality and fast, reliable delivery,” said Nicholas Balaresque, Managing Director of Deutsche WindGuard Engineering.
