Wind Turbine Design Studies Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mark Turner Students: Krista Kirievich Robert Golsby
Attributes of Wind Turbines Convert kinetic energy from wind to shaft power. Interact with each other on wind farms. Operate under various conditions due to changing wind speed and direction. Be efficient and robust.
Elements of Wind Turbine Design Studies Use existing methods to design wind turbines. Use optimization approaches. Address issues of aerodynamics, structures, aeromechanics, and cost. Use GE 1.5 MW Wind Turbine as a baseline design. Generate a CAD model of design to 3D print at different pitch angles. Test these 3D designs in a wind tunnel to measure drag, rpm, and energy production.
Student Learning Goals Learn about the aerodynamics of wind turbines. Develop technical skills in CFD, FEA, and CAD. Gather and analyze wind tunnel data for different wind turbine designs. Understand energy conversion from one form to another.