Loads, Aerodynamics and Control of Wind Turbines

• In a team, aerodynamically redesign the rotor of a reference turbine for a different wind class and evaluate the quality of the resulting design
• Evaluate how the design’s aeroservoelastic response affects turbine production and lifetime loads and hypothesize how the design could be improved
• Explain the wind turbine control objectives and how a controller is designed to achieve these objectives
• Calculate the structural, aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic modes of an operating wind turbine and explain the differences between them
• Tune a wind turbine controller and evaluate its performance with an aeroelastic simulation code
• Explain how the different parameters such as tip-speed ratio, lift-drag values and the lift coefficient affect the aerodynamic design and performance of rotors
• Explain which external loads affect a specific load channel in the turbine and sketch the mean loads versus wind speed
• Simulate, plot and analyse a standard design load basis for a redesigned turbine and use it to calculate lifetime loads
• In a team, design and utilize a Python package hosted on GitHub to generate input files for aeroelastic software
• Present knowledge in writing related to aeroservoelastic wind turbine design

This course uses the engineering skills learned in 46300 and/or 46310 as a springboard to deepen students’ practical knowledge of the interaction between aerodynamics, loads and controls during turbine design. During the semester, students work in groups to redesign the DTU 10 MW Reference Wind Turbine for a different wind class. The following topics are covered: methods for redesigning a wind turbine rotor, wind turbine control basics and controller tuning, wind turbine dynamics and aeroelastic mode shapes, lifetime load calculations (fatigue + extreme), wind turbine certification standards and more.

The theories, sub-models, and methods introduced in this course are applicable for general modelling and analysis of wind turbines; however, the students will work with the HAWC software (HAWC2S/HAWC2/HAWCStab2) for aeroelastic simulations (HAWC2), aeroelastic modal analysis of wind turbines (HAWCStab2) and controller tuning (HAWC2S).

Computational skills are also developed during the semester. Teams use GitHub to collaboratively develop code, including a Python package, to set up and analyse computations and post-process simulations. A computing cluster is also used for large numbers of simulations. We recommend students take 46120 before attending this course to ensure an adequate level of computational literacy.

46120/46300/46310, Students are strongly recommended to have taken (1) 46120 and (2) either 46300 or 46310. Knowledge of basic structural dynamics and aerodynamics is required. Knowledge of wind turbine technology, wind turbine aerodynamics and basic control theory (PI controller) is highly recommended.

Lectures and group work on reports (3-4 students per group)