scholarly journals 3D Multidisciplinary Automated Design Optimization Toolbox for Wind Turbine Blades

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 581
Author(s):  
Sagi Sagimbayev ◽  
Yestay Kylyshbek ◽  
Sagidolla Batay ◽  
Yong Zhao ◽  
Sai Fok ◽  
...  

This paper presents two novel automated optimization approaches. The first one proposes a framework to optimize wind turbine blades by integrating multidisciplinary 3D parametric modeling, a physics-based optimization scheme, the Inverse Blade Element Momentum (IBEM) method, and 3D Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulation; the second method introduces a framework combining 3D parametric modeling and an integrated goal-driven optimization together with a 4D Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) solver. In the first approach, the optimization toolbox operates concurrently with the other software packages through scripts. The automated optimization process modifies the parametric model of the blade by decreasing the twist angle and increasing the local angle of attack (AoA) across the blade at locations with lower than maximum 3D lift/drag ratio until a maximum mean lift/drag ratio for the whole blade is found. This process exploits the 3D stall delay, which is often ignored in the regular 2D BEM approach. The second approach focuses on the shape optimization of individual cross-sections where the shape near the trailing edge is adjusted to achieve high power output, using a goal-driven optimization toolbox verified by 4D URANS Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation for the whole rotor. The results obtained from the case study indicate that (1) the 4D URANS whole rotor simulation in the second approach generates more accurate results than the 3D RANS single blade simulation with periodic boundary conditions; (2) the second approach of the framework can automatically produce the blade geometry that satisfies the optimization objective, while the first approach is less desirable as the 3D stall delay is not prominent enough to be fruitfully exploited for this particular case study.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2211
Author(s):  
Md Tausif Akram ◽  
Man-Hoe Kim

Sustainability has become one of the most significant considerations in everyday work, including energy production. The fast-growing trend of wind energy around the world has increased the demand for efficient and optimized airfoils, which has paved the way for energy harvesting systems. The present manuscript proposes an aerodynamically optimized design of the well-known existing NREL S809 airfoil for performance enhancement of the blade design for wind turbines. An integrated code, based on a genetic algorithm, is developed to optimize the asymmetric NREL S809 airfoil by class shape transformation (CST) and the parametric section (PARSEC) parameterization method, analyzing its aerodynamic properties and maximizing the lift of the airfoil. The in-house MATLAB code is further incorporated with XFOIL to calculate the coefficient of lift, coefficient of drag and lift-to-drag ratio at angles of attack of 0° and 6.2° by the panel technique and validated with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) experimental results provided by The Ohio State University (OSU). On the other hand, steady-state CFD analysis is performed on an optimized S809 airfoil using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equation with the K–ω shear stress transport (SST) turbulent model and compared with the experimental data. The present method shows that the optimized airfoil by CST is predicted, with an increment of 11.8% and 9.6% for the lift coefficient and lift-to-drag ratio, respectively, and desirable stability parameters obtained for the design of the wind turbine blades. These characteristics significantly improve the overall aerodynamic performance of new optimized airfoils. Finally, the aerodynamically improved results are reported for the design of the NREL Phase II, Phase III and Phase VI HAWT blades.


Author(s):  
Xiaomin Chen ◽  
Ramesh Agarwal

In recent years, the airfoil sections with blunt trailing edge (called flatback airfoils) have been proposed for the inboard regions of large wind-turbine blades because they provide several structural and aerodynamic performance advantages. In a previous paper, ASME ES2010-90373, we employed a single objective genetic algorithm (GA) for shape optimization of flatback airfoils for generating maximum lift to drag ratio. The computational efficiency of GA was significantly enhanced with an artificial neural network (ANN). The commercially available software FLUENT was employed for calculation of the flow field using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations in conjunction with a turbulence model. In this paper, we employ a multi-objective GA to optimize the flatback airfoils to achieve two objectives, namely the generation of maximum lift as well as the maximum lift to drag ratio. It is shown that the multi-objective GA optimization can generate superior flatback airfoils compared to those obtained by using single objective GA algorithm.


Author(s):  
Xiaomin Chen ◽  
Ramesh Agarwal

In recent years, the airfoil sections with blunt trailing edge (called flatback airfoils) have been proposed for the inboard regions of large wind-turbine blades because they provide several structural and aerodynamic performance advantages. In this paper, we employ a genetic algorithm (GA) for shape optimization of flatback airfoils for generating maximum lift to drag ratio. The computational efficiency of GA is significantly enhanced with an artificial neural network (ANN). The commercially available software FLUENT is used for calculation of the flow field using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations in conjunction with a turbulence model. It is shown that the combined GA/ANN optimization technique is capable of accurately and efficiently finding globally optimal flatback airfoils.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Pugh ◽  
M. M. Stack

AbstractErosion rates of wind turbine blades are not constant, and they depend on many external factors including meteorological differences relating to global weather patterns. In order to track the degradation of the turbine blades, it is important to analyse the distribution and change in weather conditions across the country. This case study addresses rainfall in Western Europe using the UK and Ireland data to create a relationship between the erosion rate of wind turbine blades and rainfall for both countries. In order to match the appropriate erosion data to the meteorological data, 2 months of the annual rainfall were chosen, and the differences were analysed. The month of highest rain, January and month of least rain, May were selected for the study. The two variables were then combined with other data including hailstorm events and locations of wind turbine farms to create a general overview of erosion with relation to wind turbine blades.


Author(s):  
K. J. Standish ◽  
C. P. van Dam

The adoption of blunt trailing edge airfoils for the inner regions of large wind turbine blades has been proposed. Blunt trailing edge airfoils would not only provide increased structural volume, but have also been found to improve the lift characteristics of airfoils and therefore allow for section shapes with a greater maximum thickness. Limited experimental data makes it difficult for wind turbine designers to consider and conduct tradeoff studies using these section shapes. This lack of experimental data precipitated the present analysis of blunt trailing edge airfoils using computational fluid dynamics. Several computational techniques are applied including a viscous/inviscid interaction method and several Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes methods.


Author(s):  
Yan Wang ◽  
Liang Wang ◽  
Chenglin Duan ◽  
Jian Zheng ◽  
Zhe Liu ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.27) ◽  
pp. 456
Author(s):  
Albi . ◽  
M Dev Anand ◽  
G M. Joselin Herbert

The aerofoils of wind turbine blades have crucial influence on aerodynamic efficiency of wind turbine. There are numerous amounts of research being performed on aerofoils of wind turbines. Initially, I have done a brief literature survey on wind turbine aerofoil. This project involves the selection of a suitable aerofoil section for the proposed wind turbine blade. A comprehensive study of the aerofoil behaviour is implemented using 2D modelling. NACA 4412 aerofoil profile is considered for analysis of wind turbine blade. Geometry of this aerofoil is created using GAMBIT and CFD analysis is carried out using ANSYS FLUENT. Lift and Drag forces along with the angle of attack are the important parameters in a wind turbine system. These parameters decide the efficiency of the wind turbine. The lift force and drag force acting on aerofoil were determined with various angles of attacks ranging from 0° to 12° and wind speeds. The coefficient of lift and drag values are calculated for 1×105 Reynolds number. The pressure distributions as well as coefficient of lift to coefficient of drag ratio of this aerofoil were visualized. The CFD simulation results show close agreement with those of the experiments, thus suggesting a reliable alternative to experimental method in determining drag and lift.


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