Research Status and Development Trends of Full-scale Test Benches for Large-scale Wind Turbines

This paper presents a review of large-scale testing for wind turbine nacelles, i.e. sophisticated systems designed for operation under extreme loads and harsh environmental conditions. Given the critical need for high reliability, comprehensive developmental testing is paramount. As onshore and offshore wind power scales up, testing methodologies are continually evolving. This article first delineates the purposes and fundamental content of nacelle testing. It then surveys the current status of international ground-based public test facilities for large-power wind turbine drivetrains, providing a comparative analysis of their characteristics, including rotor torque loading, non-torque loading, and electrical grid simulation capabilities. A detailed introduction to a 25 MW wind turbine nacelle test bench at China Electric Power Research Institute is provided. The 25 MW test bench, integrating a dual-motor drive, Yoke loading, 90 MVA grid emulation, and a digital twin, has successfully certified a 26 MW turbine, demonstrating world-leading performance. The paper concludes with a forward-looking perspective on the future of public ground testing systems for large-scale wind turbine nacelles.