Design and multi-objective optimization of a horizontal axis wind turbine

Abstract

Wind energy is one of the energy sources that can mitigate the adverse effects of traditional energy sources. Wind turbine harnesses power from flowing wind and converting it into electricity or other valuable energy. As a result, enhancing the performance of wind turbines may assist us in acquiring more energy more effectively and safely. For this purpose, an aerodynamic and structural design and optimization strategy are proposed in this study utilizing the blade element momentum (BEM) theory and Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm. The objective functions for the optimization are maximum Annual energy production and minimum mass of the blade. The aero-structural enhancement is achieved by optimising the design variables such as chord and twist distribution of the wind turbine blade. BEM analysis is validated against the test data for low to moderate wind speeds. Afterward, the blade of the wind turbine is optimised against multiple objectives. The optimization results showed a significant improvement in the power generation capacity of the turbine, and at the same time, the blade mass was reduced slightly. The energy yield of the optimised wind turbine has been improved by more than 40%. The maximum power coefficient is also estimated to be increased by 5.43%, and the mass is reduced by 13% of the original wind turbine blade.