Meta-heuristic multidisciplinary design optimization of wind turbine blades obtained from circular pipes

• Published in: Engineering with computers Vol. 35; no. 2; pp. 363 - 379
• Main Author: Ceruti, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer London 01.04.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; CAE) and Design; Calculus of Variations and Optimal Control; Optimization; Classical Mechanics; Computer Science; Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD; Computing time; Configurations; Control; Design optimization; Developing countries; Heuristic methods; LDCs; Math. Applications in Chemistry; Mathematical and Computational Engineering; Multidisciplinary design optimization; Original Article; Production costs; Software; Systems Theory; Turbine blades; Turbines; Wind turbines; Design; Multidisciplinary optimization; Particle swarm algorithm; Wind turbine; CAD
• ISSN: 0177-0667; 1435-5663
• DOI: 10.1007/s00366-018-0604-8

Aim of this paper is to present a methodology useful to optimize the geometry of the blades of a small-size wind turbine which are obtained from a circular pipe: an optimal chord distribution and airfoil sweep can be obtained with a proper cutting path. A strong reduction in manufacturing costs and time can be achieved for blades which are a critical element in wind turbine systems, especially in case of renewable plants in developing countries. An algorithm has been developed to obtain the shape of the blades and wind turbine performances are computed by the Blade-Element Method, due to its low computational simplicity; the XFoil tool has been used to compute the aerodynamic of the blades. Heuristic algorithms have been applied to obtain a feasible design solution assuring the best efficiency of the wind turbine. Also structural considerations are kept into account to provide a feasible configuration able to withstand the forces acting on the rotating blades. Results obtained suggest that an optimal design of such a kind of blades can be obtained thanks to this methodology. The mathematical framework developed for the optimization is efficient and the heuristics algorithms allow the convergence to feasible configurations. The computing time is compatible with a practical application of the method also in industries.