QBlade 2.0.9.7 beta

release 18.03.26

Aerodynamics

  • Reworked the DMS module and implemented a simplified mean AC method

  • Fixed iteration issues in the DMST algorithm

  • Reworked non-circulatory aerodynamic calculations and added non-circulatory influence on the drag coefficient

  • Added all missing Theodorsen non-circulatory (added-mass) terms and corrected sign conventions for apparent acceleration

  • Changed the aerodynamic coordinate system from LHS to RHS by negating the a2 vector

  • Reworked Montgomery extrapolation and added shiftDrag functionality for consistent positive and negative extrapolation

  • Fixed a small issue in Viterna extrapolation

  • Added influence of foil thickness to the Gormont-Berg dynamic stall model

  • Improved robustness of the IAG dynamic stall model

  • Added pitch-axis x-offset to blade definitions in preparation for windIO v2

  • Added pitchAxisX to the reprojection of the Cm coefficient

Structural Dynamics

  • Updated optimized Chrono libraries, including SparseLU optimizations

  • Improved MBC eigenvalue solver

  • Improved Jacobian calculation for modal analysis

  • Corrected rotation and translation of sectional inertia for simple Euler and Timoshenko beams

  • Torque tube height can now be set to zero for VAWTs

  • Fixed issue in AddLoadAt functions where the torque coordinate system was incorrect

  • Added more explicit debug output for subconstraints

  • Added support for CABCONSTRAINTS, analogous to the MOORCONSTRAINTS table

Hydrodynamics & Mooring

  • Implemented catenary-shape precalculations for mooring lines

  • Revamped buoyancy bookkeeping calculations for more accurate buoyancy centers, forces, and restoring moments

  • Fixed vented-node handling during pressure-based buoyancy calculations

  • Added VERTICALWEIGHT to blend between vertical and Wheeler stretching

  • Reimplemented the seabed stiffness model in line with MoorDyn v2

  • Changed the random number generator for wave generation

  • Improved efficiency of linear wave generation and usage during simulations

Control Systems

  • Implemented controller ramping to improve stability of coupled controller simulations

QFoil / Airfoil Tools

  • Added QFoil

  • Recompiled XFoil on Windows with double precision

  • Compiled XFoil and QFoil binaries to accommodate larger panel sizes

WindIO

  • Implemented usage of the rthick array in windIO

  • Implemented usage of thickness when reading airfoils from windIO

  • Implemented usage of section_offset_y instead of the legacy pitch_axis field in windIO

CLI / File I/O

  • Implemented a live dashboard for the CLI interface

  • Added function to set the export directory for CLI batch runs via exp=d:directory

  • When an ASCII simulation definition references an .inp windfield, the corresponding .bts file with the same filename is now used if present

  • Fixed external loading file behavior so that both true and local are accepted for local force/torque definitions

File I/O & Results

  • Fixed normalization issues in PSD calculations

  • Graphs can now display segmented lines with gaps

GUI & Visualization

  • Added tooltips to all dialogs, buttons, and edit fields

  • Added smooth normals to spinner geometry

  • Improved Campbell diagram generation and batch-analysis handling

Stability & Bug Fixes

  • Sped up OpenCL LLFVW calculations by approximately 15%

  • Guarded directory changes in QControl with a mutex to prevent race-condition crashes

  • Fixed potential crash in QSimulationDock when deleting large numbers of simulations at once

QBlade 2.0.9.6 beta

release 08.12.25

Aerodynamics

  • Fixed UBEM induction calculations that incorrectly used the absolute inflow velocity as reference instead of the axial component of the inflow velocity

  • Added smoothing/damping factor to the yaw angle in UBEM to prevent oscillations around zero velocity from destabilizing the solver

  • Fixed issue where VAWTs simulated without strut lift omitted wake influence on struts

  • Fixed hub-height inflow file interpolation

Structural Dynamics

  • Fixed issues in the construction of VAWT rotor coordinate systems for arbitrary rotor orientations

  • Fixed trqtbBot, trqtbTop, and twrTop constraint definitions to always be defined in the JNT1 coordinate system

  • Improved drivetrain stability by replacing ChShaftsTorsionSpring with ChShaftsTorsionSpringDamper

  • Applied minor variable renamings for consistency:

  • X_tt For. TWR Top Constr. -> X_tt For. TWR Top Const.

  • X_tt TWR. Top. Vel. [m/s] -> X_tt TWR. Top Vel. [m/s]

Control Systems

  • Implemented asynchronous controller time stepping; specify SAMPLESTEP in the parameter file

  • Controller libraries are now automatically exported into ASCII turbine definitions

OpenCL / GUI

  • Fixed information displayed in the OpenCL info dialog

QBlade 2.0.9.5 beta

release 26.11.25

Aerodynamics

  • Fixed a small issue in the tower shadow model that prevented it from working for aero-only turbine definitions

Hydrodynamics

  • Changed the added-mass reference area for rectangular members

  • Added STATICSUBMERGENCE parameter to control whether Morison element submergence is based on local wave height (true) or mean sea level (false)

  • Added DYNAMICBUOYANCY and DYNAMICSUBMERGENCE flags

  • Set default values to DYNAMICBUOYANCY = false and DYNAMICSUBMERGENCE = true

  • Added optional mass coefficient (Ca) and pressure coefficient (Cp) entries to FOILMEMBERCOEFF tables

File I/O & General Improvements

  • Improved robustness of OpenGL initialization

  • NLSPRINGDAMPER read-in routine now allows comments in the last columns

QBlade 2.0.9.4 beta

release 20.10.25

File I/O & General Improvements

  • Fixed issue in windfield sampling

  • Improved OpenGL compatibility check on startup to better support integrated Intel GPUs

  • Fixed initialization of HHInflow angle

  • Improved robustness of ASCII file import and export routines

  • Fixed a small issue related to the handling of the NAC ID

QBlade 2.0.9.3 beta

release 27.09.25

Structural Dynamics

  • Changed spring/damper constraints to initialize their rest position in the undisplaced coordinate system

  • Floater displacements no longer change spring dynamics and the floater always returns to the same resting position

  • Fixed issue with strutTorquetubeConstraints

  • Constraint coordinate systems are now always defined in the JntID1 coordinate system

  • Aligned SUPERELEMENT constraint construction with other constraints, using the JntID1 coordinate system for constraint definition

  • Mass and added-mass matrices are now correctly rotated from the local to the global mixed basis

Aerodynamics/Hydrodynamics

  • Hydrodynamic drag is now evaluated based on tower or torque tube drag coefficients when these parts are submerged

  • Tower and torque tube aerodynamic drag is now evaluated based on water properties if the structure is submerged

  • Changed ISBUOYANCY to BUOYANCYCOEFF in BLD, STRT, TWR, and TRQTB structural input files

  • Added optional aerodynamic drag from substructure elements

  • Fixed issues in AddRotorAddedMass

  • Fixed linear hydro loader behavior when the floater was globally rotated; linear hydro matrices are now defined in the rotated global coordinate system

  • Fixed projection into coordinate systems for linear hydro loader data plotted in graphs

  • Added angle unwrapping to hydroevalcoord yaw filtering to correct wrapped angles when a time filter is applied

  • Changed the sign of recorded radiation forces in graphs

  • Fixed issue where blendFact and f_cutOff were not initialized properly for Morison elements

  • Added INCLUDEAERO and INCLUDEHYDRO keywords to the shared mooring input file

  • Radiation forces and the added-mass matrix are now evaluated in the instantaneous heading coordinate system

  • Diffraction, sum, and difference forces are evaluated in the potentially lagged wave-kinematics evaluation coordinate system

File I/O & Results

  • Added missing file extensions for ASCII exports under Linux

  • Cleared the debug dialog before opening to prevent long loading times with very large logs

QBlade 2.0.9.2 beta

release 11.09.25

Aerodynamics

  • UBEM now also calculates negative induction values; CT is now bounded by -4 < CT < 4

Hydrodynamics

  • Fixed a small issue with pressure-based buoyancy calculations

  • Improved handling of buoyancy force gradients during modal analysis

Miscellaneous

  • Added screenshot functionality for blades

  • Added tooltips to all dock widgets

QBlade 2.0.9.1 beta

release 19.08.25

Aerodynamics

  • Improved gamma convergence check and Aitken relaxation

  • Added dynamic stall evaluations to the bound-gamma fixed-point iteration loop

  • Added smooth gates to all dynamic stall functions (range 45-55 from 1 to 0)

  • Fixed issue where Reynolds number was not copied when duplicating a polar

Structural Dynamics

  • Implemented POSOFFSET and ROTOFFSET actions for HUBFIXED and NAC coordinate systems to offset hub or nacelle constraints

  • Added SUPERELEMENT integrators: 1 = HHT, 2 = RK4, 3 = EULER

  • Added TSDA spring (set isSpring = -1 in the constraint table, then specify stiffness, damping, and L0 in the first three DOF entries)

  • Tables can now be used for GENEFF and GBOXEFF

Hydrodynamics

  • Made BUOYANCYPREDICTOR an optional user input (default = 0.65)

  • Replaced displaced-volume buoyancy with pressure-based buoyancy calculations

  • Added option to disable floater fixation during ramp-up using the false FIXEDRAMPUP keyword, allowing the floater to find its equilibrium position during ramp-up

  • In the SUBMEMBERS table, the isBuoyancy column now accepts negative entries to define local static buoyancy when the global flag is not used

  • Deactivated global static buoyancy during ramp-up for unconstrained floaters

  • Element sea state is now evaluated at wavekinevalposition instead of the instantaneous position, fixing inconsistencies with stretching

  • Improved getFreeStream and getMeanFreeStream to evaluate wind or wave speed at the actual sea elevation

  • Turbine fluid density is now dynamically updated based on wave elevation at hub height

  • Added normal-drag high-pass filter, analogous to the axial-drag filter

  • Added option to vent nodes, excluding end-face buoyancy loads

Mooring & Events

  • Added FAILCAB, FAILMOO, and FAILCST to events

  • Events can now also be defined for the global mooring system in the mooring stream file

  • Cable forces now also report compression forces

SIL / API & Results

  • Added getWaveVelAccElev() function to the SIL interface

  • Added period axis (1/f) to spectral graphs

  • Added tapering windows to spectral graphs

QBlade 2.0.9 beta

release 18.06.25

Aerodynamics

  • Implemented Aitken Delta² acceleration for bound-gamma fixed-point iteration

  • Removed relaxation variable from gamma iteration

  • Added smoothing during blade bound-gamma circulation iteration

  • Made small changes to OpenCL buffers and kernels supporting the aerodynamic solver

  • Fixed crash that occurred for reversed VAWT turbines with lift-generating struts

  • Unified variable names for struts and blades

Structural Dynamics

  • Nodes fixed to the ground are no longer automatically created in the global coordinate system

  • Fixed ordering of DOFs in STRUT and BLADE CONSTRAINT tables

  • Substructure mass tuner now also acts on rigid elements

  • Introduced ChLinkOffset to prescribe relative motion between fixed constraints

Hydrodynamics

  • Changed buoyancy flag from boolean to float factor for gradual buoyancy control

  • Diffraction and radiation can now be obtained from nonlinear regular waves (first order)

  • Fixed time-domain sampling of waves by adding the missing dc_amplitude

Wave Generation

  • Added libGrid2Grid integration to linear waves for HOS-Ocean and HOS-NWT support

  • Added Tukey window to FFT sampling of wave data

SIL / API

  • SetControlVars now works on turbines without a structural model

  • Added handling of negative turbine indices in the SIL interface

  • Improved license-check handling for multi-threaded SIL instances

Control Systems

  • Added 32-bit Controller Bridge; 32-bit BLADED, DTU, and TUB libraries can now be loaded natively

File I/O & Results

  • Added simulation-time graph to batch export

  • Added option to export the full variable list for a simulation or turbine

  • Improved file export by buffering streams before writing

  • Cut-plane and velocity-field file writes are now buffered

  • Reworked result-filter function and finished integration of selective-variable storage, reducing the memory footprint

  • Improved generation of OpenFAST binary outb files using FileID = 4 for long channel names

Stability & Bug Fixes

  • Fixed crash that could occur when a .sim file was loaded

  • Fixed crash that could occur during program startup

  • Improved handling of font rendering across the program

  • Improved sizing of creator dialogs

  • Reworked debug dialog for storage of global variables

  • Improved visualization of the environment “box”

Miscellaneous

  • Added export of simulation-time graphs to batch export

  • Added export buffering throughout cut-plane and velocity-field operations

QBlade 2.0.8 beta

release 18.01.25

Aerodynamics

  • Added influence of airfoil heave and surge acceleration to unsteady aerodynamics

  • Non-circulatory lift now contributes only to aerodynamic forces, not to blade and wake circulation

  • Fixed issues with dynamic stall models by taking AoA derivatives from geometric total inflow velocities without induction

  • Added a new parameter to VAWT blade design: TOFFSET (tangential offset)

  • Core size of the bound circulation is now consistently calculated based on panel width

  • Added spanwise wake coarsening factor

  • Added FOILMEMBERCOEFF table for substructures to assign airfoil polars to substructure members

  • Revised nacelle drag calculation

  • Fixed bug preventing VAWT simulations with numblades = 0

  • Added sensor for rotor-averaged inflow, mimicking OpenFAST’s RtVAvgxh sensors

  • Revised calculation of Cp, Ct, TSR, inflow, etc. in QTurbineResults using rotor-averaged inflow sensor data

Structural Dynamics

  • Updated to Chrono 9.0.1

  • Added multi-blade coordinate transformation to modal analysis

  • Added option to shift guy-cable positions in local body coordinate systems when attached to BLD, STR, TRQ, or TWR by adding _x_y_z offsets after bodyID in cabtable

  • Added functionality to constrain mooring-line attachment direction using the MOORCONSTRAINTS table

  • Added functionality to set mooring-line stiffness and neutralStrain dynamically during a simulation through the SIL API

  • Updated STRUT_BLADE_CONSTRAINTS and STRUT_TORQUETUBE_CONSTRAINTS tables

  • Strut pitch axes can now be defined at hub and blade positions with linear interpolation in between

  • Subjoints can now be assigned a “fixed” status and will not rotate or translate with floater displacements when the sub ID is set to a negative number

  • Added JOINTROTATION feature to substructures to globally rotate substructure joint positions

  • Fixed issues with modal analysis sorting and display of modal frequencies

  • Shifted blade position to account for the shaftwise distance between the apex of the rotation cone (hub) and blade root (see FAST User’s Guide, page 19)

  • Added HUBCM variable to displace the hub mass along the hub X-axis

  • Added ROTFACT parameter to the structural model to scale the prescribed rotational speed of a slave rotor based on the master rotor, intended for multi-rotor turbines

  • Added YAWOFSET, PITCHOFSET, and AZIOFFSET parameters to control the initial conditions of all rotors during a multi-rotor turbine simulation

  • Added AZISPACING variable to enable modeling of incomplete rotors during installation

  • Mooring lines can now also be connected to parts of the turbine structure, including blades, struts, tower, and torque tube

  • Added functionality for relaxation of mooring systems

  • Nodes fixed to the ground are no longer displaced or rotated with floater surge, sway, heave, pitch, roll, or yaw

  • Fixed issues related to initialization of SUBSTRUCTURE body coordinate systems

  • Substructure joints can now be constrained to the free-yaw node of the nacelle

  • Added handling of crashes occurring during model relaxation through a derived ChSystem relaxation function

Hydrodynamics

  • Added platform yaw correction to adjust potential-flow database evaluations when the floating structure experiences significant yaw motion

  • Radiation files are now loaded even if only radiationaddedmass is set to true and useradiation is false

  • Fixed issue in ADVANCEDBUOYANCY calculations

  • Fixed bug in mooring systems when mooring lines are constrained

  • Revised and fixed Morison strip-theory calculations, particularly for rectangular members

Control Systems

  • Added exportResults function to the SIL interface

  • Added ROSCO 2.9.0 controller libraries for Windows and Linux

  • Added compatibility with the Extended BLADED controller interface

  • Added cross-turbine communication for controller libraries

  • Enabled communication between the turbine controller WAP array and external controller libraries

  • Fixed small issues related to brake events

Miscellaneous

  • Added export function for modes to the CLI interface

  • Updated MannTurb64 to the latest version and included MannTurbGenerator for Unix

  • Fully integrated MANN boxes into the DLC generator

  • Improved scaling of turbulent MANN boxes

  • Added functionality to set turbine RPM externally through the SIL interface

  • The SIL interface now returns a boolean value when advanceTurbineSimulation() is called (false when failed or diverged)

  • Added prescribed TSR option to the DLC generator

  • Added filters to all graphs: low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and notch modes

  • Added histogram graphs and rainflow-count graphs

  • Added graph statistics showing minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, and variance

  • Added occurrence-probability variable for auto-generated .sim files from DLC tables

  • Added functionality to automate generation of screenshots or videos

  • Added export function for modes to the CLI interface

QBlade 2.0.7 beta

release 24.05.25

Structural Dynamics

  • Added Timoshenko Beams

  • Added Timoshenko FPM 6x6 Beams

  • Added Anisotropic damping model

  • Added nonlinear stiffness model for mooring lines (to model polyester and nylon ropes)

  • Added calculation of blade mass inertia matrix to Struct Model info * Added strain to structural sensor outputs

  • Added strain to structural sensor outputs

  • Added function to automatically export 6x6 blade structural property tables from windIO yaml files

  • Added NLDATA<X> tables to define nonlinear distributions (stress/strain, displacement/force, etc…)

  • Removed first force value for y=0 from nonlinear spring/damper tables

  • Distributed blade added masses now included in blade COG and inertia calculations in Struct Model info

  • Structural blade and strut beams are now always placed at the user defined elastic center

  • The reference position of the local section coordinate system is now the pitch axis

  • Constraints are now defined in the coordinate system of Joint1ID, except for constraints to the fixed ground

  • Improved modal analysis and Campbell diagram functionality (QB-EE only)

  • Can now visualize real, imag, mag, and phase values after a modal analysis (QB-EE only)

  • Fixed evaluation of global rotation displacement for reversed rotors

  • Changed: now NACCM, NACINER and HUBINER can be directly specified within one line (6 entries for inertia, 3 for CM position)

  • Old keywords NACCMX, NACCMZ, NACYINER are still accepted, but should be replaced eventually

  • Fixed issue where external loading data was not assigned for substructure joints

  • Fixed issue where external loading was not correctly assigned when a substructure only was simulated

Aerodynamics

  • Added Dynamic Wake Meandering (DWM) model (mash up between Fast.Farm and HAWC2Farm models)

  • Added axial, tangential, and radial aerodynamic force to Structural Time Graphs

  • Added adaptive relaxation to speed up gamma bound fixed point iteration

  • Added Aerodynamic Strut Graph type to visualize distribution of aerodynamic variables over struts (VAWT only)

  • Finished first working version of WindIO YAML import for airfoil, polars, and blades

  • Fixed vortex line core growth model, now correctly working with time offset

  • Fixed UBEM to work properly for reversed rotors

  • Fixed issue with the reprojection of the moment coefficient before applying NC, attached flow, or DS corrections

  • Fixed behavior of the tower shadow model in certain conditions

Hydrodynamics

  • Added functionality for one-sided Morison drag for improved low-frequency excitation predictions

  • Added functionality to assign frequency-filtered axial drag coefficients for improved low-frequency excitation predictions

  • Added NBODY>1 feature of WAMIT to substructure definitions for multiple interacting hydro bodies

  • Added tangential cable drag coefficient, as optional column in HYDROMEMBERCOEFF tables

  • Added options to deactivate individual QTF DOF’s (DIFF_INACTIVE_DOF, SUM_INACTIVE_DOF)

  • Changed the sign for the definition of the misalignement between wind and waves, when specified via a DLC table

  • Fixed issue in the mooring system where buoyancy wasn’t accounted for

  • Fixed issue with turbine global position and water depth for offshore bottom-fixed turbines

  • Fixed issue with read-in functions for RAD and EXC potflow files (incompatible with Windcrete dataset)

Wave Generation

  • Added nonlinear streamfunction waves and constrained streamfunction waves

  • Added functionality to paste streamfunction waves over constrained newWaes

  • Added display variable at instantaneous sea level (ISL)

  • Changed regular linear waves to now start with a phase shift of 90°

  • Changed random number generation to be consistent across different platforms, e.g. Unix/Windows, using Mersenne Twister engine

Wind Generation

  • Added Mann turbulence generator

  • Added Mann generator option to create an “added turbulence” windfield for DWM model

  • Added option to create and export windfields from simulations

  • Improved behavior of WindFieldGenerator to better conform to IEC standards

  • Changed random number generation to be consistent across different platforms, e.g. Unix/Windows, using Mersenne Twister engine

Control Systems

  • Updated DTU controller to employ original source code and location of the wpData file(s)

  • Changed CpCtCq file of ROSCO controller to be defined relative to the controller library

  • Fixed issue regarding an incompatibility with older ROSCO controller versions

General Improvements

  • Improved computational speed for QBlade-CE (~2-3x)

  • Improved stability and numerous bug fixes

  • Finished import/export functionality for wind farm layouts (QB-EE only)

  • In DLC definition files a cell (or entry) beginning with a hashtag (#) is ignored now (QB-EE only)

  • Added new interpolation functions HERMITE, C2 splines and Akima (for structural properties and blade geometry)

  • Added functionality to specify the constrained DoF’s between struts and blades and struts and the torquetube (VAWT)

  • Added visualization of IEA reference coordinate systems to QSimulation module

  • Polar Cl and Cn slopes are now obtained via linear regression

  • Added libxlnt to read data directly from excel documents

  • Added functionality so that “submerged” rotors in an “offshore” simulation get the water velocity, density, and viscosity as inputs for “aerodynamic” load calculations, this enables combined wind-hydro turbine simulations

  • Fixed issue in the DLL interface where advanceStructure() and AdvanceAero() were called in the wrong order

  • Fixed issue in cut-plane import/export related to timesteps when QSim had “store from time” enabled

  • Fixed issue where STORE_SIM was not recognized during ASCII simulation import

QBlade 2.0.6.4 beta

release 10.09.23

  • Added SUPERELEMENTS to substructure

  • Added DLC table export functionality to CLI

  • Added DLC table option to optionally contain “loading data” files instead of the linearWaveDefinition files (.lwa)

  • Added the possibility to specify JNT_X outputs (position and rotation) for substructures

  • Added function to deactivate all machines on a floating license

  • Added damping for cables in StrModel and MooringSystem

  • Added option to convert QFEM to blade or tower files

  • Added total morison force to outputs

  • Added granular debug function to SIL interface

  • Changed sensorname “Platform Translation/Rotation” –> “Prescribed Translation/Rotation”

  • Auto-detection if a valid OpenGL context is existing

  • Modified SeabedContact forces, in line with OrcaFlex: https://www.orcina.com/webhelp/OrcaFlex/Content/html/Seabedtheory.htm#ElasticSeabedModelTheory

  • Improved constraint bookkeeping, disabling redundant constraints during rampup

  • Fixed issues in DLC generator, related to the positioning of bottom fixed offshore turbines

  • Fixed catching inf, zero and NaN values in getMeanFreeStream and getFreeStream functions

  • Fixed ground constraint for bottom fixed offshore structures

  • Fixed lumped system mass and inertia info for MTA’s

  • Fixed SSL handshake error on AWS machines

  • Fixed definition of structural twist angle in the QFEM module

  • Fixed losses in BEM were subtracted in MW not kW

  • Fixed issue where WINDAUTOSHIFT was not read corretly during .sim file import

  • Fixed mooring line hydrodynamics for MHK turbines

QBlade 2.0.6.3 beta

release 10.09.23

  • fixed issue where for certains node/member arrangements a substructure could be over-constrained

  • fixed issue where for a substructure only turbine definition NaN inertia values were shown in model overview

  • fixed automatic scene scaling for displaced substructure-only configurations

  • orientations of subjoints and the transition piece can now also be defined by means of consecutive Euler rotations

  • optimizations of OpenCl particle kernels (QBlade-EE)

  • fixed crash of modal analysis of substructure-only configurations (QBlade-EE)

  • fixed issue where the multi-turbine (.mta) ASCII import could crash if some files were missing (QBlade-EE)

QBlade 2.0.6.2 beta

release 15.06.23

  • added total Morison force to output for substructure members in hydrodynamic time graphs

  • fixed some small issues with the openCl device selection when not in the GUI mode (CLI or SIL)

  • fixed normal calculation for .stl blade export at blade hub and tip end faces

  • added an optional export filter to rearrange/filter the export files that are generated

  • added a getCustomSimulationData function to the SIL interface

  • substructure constraint loads can now be added to the graphs by specifying the constraint with the identifier “CST”

  • added export filter feature to CLI

  • fixed issue where CLI was searching for a “wrong” binary file name

QBlade 2.0.6.1 beta

release 31.05.23

  • fixed typos

  • in BEM/DMS analysis power is now always displayed as kW

  • fixed issue with turbine sorting for multi turbine simulations

QBlade 2.0.6 beta

release 19.05.23

Substructure

  • added MOORLOADS to add buoyancy forces and loads to mooring lines

  • ADDMASS functionality was extended so that also diagonal inertia 3xIXX & offdiagonal 3xIXY (in local body coords) can be added to a structure

  • added RECTANGULAR members to the substructure definition, these members can use directional hydro coefficients for the local x and y directions

  • added a new and more consistent table format for MOORELEMENTS and CABLELEMENTS that uses only 6 instead of 7 entries

  • added substructure elements, constraints and spings/dampers to global mooring systems

Control / SIL

  • added the functionality to “wire” custom external library and controller data channels from the swap arrays to turbine actions

  • added interface for external controller libraries

  • added function SetExternalAction() to DLL interface to enable highly customized simulations / controllers

  • added visualization of hydrodynamic Morison forces

  • when simulating with the ROSCO controller the “PerfFileName” is now also serialized in the same way as the WPData file for the DTU controller

Wave Generation

  • added wave probes to the wave module

  • added constrained embedded wave feature to linear waves

  • added option to merge linear waves

Misc

  • turbines (and floater, mooring systems) can now be globally rotated

  • implemented the IAG dynamic stall model

  • added Cn and Ct graphs to polars and 360 polars

  • added feature to assign distributed damping properties for the blade, towers and struts

  • added feature to account for nacelle drag

QBlade-EE

  • added aerodynamic damping calculation and damped frequencies to modal analysis (QB-EE only)

  • implemented linearization of buoyancy for modal analysis (QB-EE only)

  • OpenCl: improved kernel performance by ~20%

Furthermore, a lot of features and fixes based on community feedback have been implemented in various modules and the overall stability and robustness has been improved.

QBlade 2.0.5.2 alpha

release 27.01.23

  • public release of QBlade’s Software in Loop (SIL) interface

  • project files now 100% compatible between EE and CE versions (dedicated EE format is omitted)

  • catching a possible crash that could occur when pressing the “Mode Animation” botton before the simulation has finished

  • fixed issue where an impulsive aerodynamic load was present at the first timestep due to an error in relative velocity initialization

  • fixed an issue in shared mooring systems

  • in substructure files TP_INTERFACE_POS_1 can now also be used instead of TP_INTERFACE_POS (which was omitting the _1 part)

QBlade 2.0.5.1 alpha

release 21.12.22

  • LLFVW: bound circulation core size is now defined based on aerodynamic panel width instead of chord

  • fixed a small issue in wake coarsening where the redistribution of shed vorticity could lead to a small induction “jump”

  • default blade discretization type is now COSINE

  • improved evaluation of 360° polar parameters, such as slope, aoa_0, Cl_0 etc…

  • OYE and ATEFlap DS models are now limited to the range of +-50° AoA

  • fixed major issue in implementation of nonlinear p-y curves

  • from now on the version stringis part of the binary files to better distinguish them

  • improved custom data aquisition for python and matlab (SIL) interfaces

QBlade 2.0.5 alpha

release 13.12.22

  • added blade force in X_c and X_b coordinate systems to the standard outputs

  • added functionality to the assignement of nonlinear springs and dampers for substructures

  • overhauled read-in functionality for WAMIT diffraction and excitation files

  • directionality for 2nd order difference loads now taken into account

  • arbitrary orientations can now be assigned to substructure nodes, substructure node coordinate systems can now be displayed

  • added option to read-in WAMIT .8 files

  • added correct Reynolds number to steady BEM outputs

  • fixed issue where TSR string was set to zero after creating a bladeLoading definition

  • fixed bug that corrupted project files after a polar was edited with “Edit Current Polar Points” and then discarded

  • added optional generator efficiency

  • fixed initial camera view angles for QTurbine and QSimulation modules

  • renamed StrModel variables for aerodynamic and generator power and torque

  • improved import/export functionality of velocity cut-plane definitions

  • fixed broken link to forum

  • added controller SWAP array to getCustomData() function of the DLL interface

QBlade 2.0.4.9 alpha

release 15.11.22

  • added CPmin variable to results of the XFoil polar analysis, corrected evaluation of friction drag coefficient from XFoil

  • bugfix: overhauled interface with Xfoil binary which is now working with absolute instead of relative path names

  • bugfix: fixed a crash that occurred when a TDMS object was deleted in the GUI

  • added blade root forces to default sensors

  • added FAST binary format to the avaliable export formats for simulation timeseries

  • fixed issue where when using hubheight inflow files the horizontal inflow angle was not read in properly

  • changed the sign in the definition of the horizontal inflow angle to be in line with the most common convention

  • bugfix: prevent UBEM crashes that occurred at inflow velocity of zero

  • tower bodies, torquetube bodies & strut bodies can now have buoyancy & addedmass & dynamic pressure coefficients assigned to model hydrokinetic turbines. model hydrokinetic turbines as onshore turbines with changed air density

QBlade 2.0.4.8 alpha

release 08.10.22

  • chord can now be optimized idependent of twist

  • optimize PROP dialog now hidden during HAWT blade design

  • displaced water volume added to hydrodynamic variables

  • when a simulation is diverging the last 3 timesteps are removed from the data to prevent NaN in data

  • added yaw event to turbine events

QBlade 2.0.4.7 alpha

release 24.09.22

  • default sensors added for tower top and nacelle (velocity, acceleration, deflection)

  • fixed issue in DS models that could occur when “bad quality” polar data (such as with negative slope) was used

  • removed structural time integrator selection from SimulationCreatorDialog, HHT is now default

  • fixed issue where the tower drag coefficient was not read from the structural data table

  • fixed issue with the tower shadow model, the position of tower shadow is now the instantaneous position of floating turbine

  • added info for RNA and Tower COG to turbine design module, inertia info displayed now around the global COG

  • when importing TurbSim .inp files the TurbSim console output is now displayed

  • added delete by selection for turbine objects

  • graph data can now be directly copied to clipboard

  • several small gui improvements

QBlade 2.0.4.6 alpha

release 13.09.22

  • fixed error where the current yaw angle read from the structural model had the wrong sign

  • fixed error when during import of linear waves from a time series the mean heading angle was read in radians and not degrees

  • added yaw angle to structural outputs

  • added ROSCO 2.4.1 controller library

QBlade 2.0.4.5 alpha

release 09.09.22

  • Implemented various checks to prevent users from defining overconstrained nodes during substructure generation that could cause divergence in the structural solver; checking SUBELEMENTSRIGID and SUBCONSTRAINT data tables

QBlade 2.0.4.4 alpha

release 08.09.22

  • Bugfix in steady state BEM for HAWT’s

QBlade 2.0.4.3 alpha

release 06.09.22

  • Fixed an issue in the classical steady state BEM iteration that appeared at large (above optimum) TSR’s.

QBlade 2.0.4.2 alpha

release 19.08.22

  • There were issues with the OpenCL.dll under Windows, this dll has been replaced with a more compatible version that should detect OpenCL for most users

QBlade 2.0.4.1 alpha

release 16.08.22

  • Fixed issue with virtual camber transformation, where values were not read from dialog

  • Improved behavior of FoilTable when Foil selection is changed

QBlade 2.0.4 alpha

release 09.08.22

  • This is the first public release of QBlade CE. Be aware that this is an alpha release which will be revisioned after the first user feedback arrives and incompatibilities and errors are fixed.