Design Optimization of Downwind Rotors with Segmented Blades

Abstract

Large wind turbine rotor blades are often constrained by the stiffness required to prevent a tower strike. By using a downwind configuration, large blades may be able to reduce their mass significantly. Large rotors for land-based applications are also often constrained by transportation limitations. Segmented blade designs would accommodate the transportation of larger blades. The combination of a downwind rotor with segmented blades provides a synergistic benefit where larger blades with higher energy capture can be utilized without incurring large increases in mass. Large upwind and downwind rotors are compared using nonlinear optimization to minimize cost of energy subject to a subset of IEC design criteria.

Date
Oct 15, 2013 3:30 PM — 4:30 PM
Location
Bechtel Collaboratory, Discovery Learning Center
Engineering Center, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309
ANDREW NING

National Wind Technology Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory