Dynamic Clearance on MW-Scale Turbines: From Design Margin to Real-Time Sensing
On 160 m hub-height flexible-tower turbines under extreme turbulence, tower-top deflection can reach 2–3 m, and blade-tip deflection of 90 m-class lightweight blades can exceed 8 m. Dynamic clearance can suddenly drop below 30% of the design value, and a single tower strike can cause direct economic loss of over RMB 2 million per turbine. Video and radar-vision fused clearance systems deliver real-time output at 50 Hz, turning 'repair after the event' into 'protection in advance'.