Design space exploration and decision-making for a segmented ultralight morphing 50-MW wind turbine

Abstract

Wind turbine design encompasses many different aspects including aerodynamic, structural, electrical, and control system design. To achieve optimal plant performance, a system design approach is utilized in which the performance of the whole wind turbine is evaluated and quantified during operational scenarios with subsystem interactions. In this paper, the design for a Segmented Ultralight Morphing Rotor (SUMR) 50-MW wind turbine is presented utilizing levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for design choices, with additional quantification of simulated performance shortcomings at the 50-MW scale. The multi-disciplinary design process results in a final ultra-scale turbine configuration that outperforms other existing offshore wind farms regarding the LCOE.

Mayank Chetan

Wind Energy Researcher

Current research interests include wind turbine structures, aero-elasticity and loads analysis.