Abstract
A procedure based on MATLAB combined with ANSYS is presented and utilized for the aerodynamic and structural integrated optimization design of Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) blades. Three modules are used for this purpose: an aerodynamic analysis module using the Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory, a structural analysis module employing the Finite Element Method (FEM) and a multi-objective optimization module utilizing the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm. The former two provide a sufficiently accurate solution of the aerodynamic and structural performances of the blade; the latter handles the design variables of the optimization problem, namely, the main geometrical shape and structural parameters of the blade, and promotes function optimization. The scope of the procedure is to achieve the best trade-off performances between the maximum Annual Energy Production (AEP) and the minimum blade mass under various design requirements. To prove the efficiency and reliability of the procedure, a commercial 1.5 megawatt (MW) HAWT blade is used as a case study. Compared with the original scheme, the optimization results show great improvements for the overall performance of the blade.
Highlights
Blades are regarded as the key components of the Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) system and have been paid much attention by most of the leading wind turbine manufacturers to develop their own blade design
A successful blade design should take into account the interaction between the two stages and satisfy a wide range of objectives, so the design process is a complex multi-objective optimization task characterized by numerous trade-off decisions
As the twist remains constant inboard of the maximum chord, which means the twists of CP1-3 are the same, the twist values of CP3-7 are defined as another five aerodynamic variables (x6 to x10 )
Summary
Blades are regarded as the key components of the Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) system and have been paid much attention by most of the leading wind turbine manufacturers to develop their own blade design. As world wind energy market continuously grows, a number of blade manufacturers have emerged recently, especially in China. Their independent design and manufacturing capabilities are weak, and the wind blade market is still dominated by the leading wind turbine system manufacturers [1]. The design process of the blades can be divided into two stages: the aerodynamic design and the structural design [2]. A successful blade design should take into account the interaction between the two stages and satisfy a wide range of objectives, so the design process is a complex multi-objective optimization task characterized by numerous trade-off decisions. In order to simplify the process, the aerodynamic design and the structural design are separated by the Energies 2016, 9, 66; doi:10.3390/en9020066 www.mdpi.com/journal/energies
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