EAGER - Exploratory Investigation of Active Vibration and Flow Control in Wind Turbine Blades

0941859阿米泰总结风能是世界上增长最快的电能来源。美国目前的目标是到2030年让风能提供全国20%的电力。为了更有效地捕捉风能，向这一雄心勃勃的目标进军必然需要比目前常用的涡轮机更大的涡轮机。然而，大型涡轮机也伴随着重大的技术挑战。涡轮机的结构振动可能会影响风能捕获，产生不良的声发射，并导致叶片疲劳和过早损坏。智能优点：这项可行性研究的目标是探索应用主动流动控制来减少叶片动态运动过程中的结构振动。作为项目的一部分，PI将对叶片周围的流场、叶片/流动相互作用进行表征和分析，并将结果用于优化叶片设计、改善水轮机运行和提高整体系统安全性。这项拟议的研究将开发在主动流动控制激活下的扑动/俯仰叶片的全三维流场特征，通过合成射流阵列来缓解叶片的振动，并在各种实际条件下实现更好的性能。本研究旨在实现以下目标：(1)减少所有运行条件下的振动，(2)减少阵风时叶片上的载荷和振动。这些目标将改善叶片疲劳，在保持安全运行极限的同时增加能量捕获。在高风速和/或阵风时，将制定流量控制策略，以减少叶片负载和振动。安装在叶片上的各种传感器将允许确定环境运行条件、叶片结构状态和流动状况。更广泛的影响：拟议的研究将延长叶片的使用寿命，并通过支持更大涡轮机的设计和改善在各种动态条件下的运行来增强功率捕获。拟议的项目还具有很强的教育成分。风能提供了一个及时和耐人寻味的应用以及吸引和吸引学生的机会。PI将把这项研究纳入他的课堂，包括该项目的跨学科性质，涉及流体/结构相互作用和空气动力学。阿米泰教授是RPI新资助的NSF GK-12能源与环境推广项目的成员。他最近招募了一名西班牙裔博士生，这名博士生每周与一名来自纽约州特洛伊的高中教师一起工作15个小时，参与一个与风能相关的项目。此外，一名研究生(维克多·马尔多纳诺，西班牙裔)和一名本科生(贝卡·奥斯曼，女)将被任命为项目期间的研究助理。最后，Amitay是RPI夏季项目的主任之一，在过去的两个夏天一直在指导中学生和高中生关于美好飞行世界的短期夏令营。他将把风能作为明年夏令营的主题。

0941859 Amitay Summary Wind energy is the fastest growing source of electrical energy in the world. The current US target is to have wind provide 20% of the nation electricity by 2030. Marching towards this ambitious target would necessarily involve larger turbines than what is commonly used today, in order to more efficiently capture the wind energy. However, large turbines also come with significant technical challenges. The structural vibration of the turbine could compromise wind energy capture, generate undesirable acoustic emission, and cause blade fatigue and premature failure. Intellectual Merit: The goal of this feasibility research is to explore the application of active flow control to reduce structural vibrations during dynamic motion of the blade. As part of the project the PI will characterize and analyze the flow field around the blade, the blade/flow interaction, and use the result to optimize blade design, improve turbine operation, and enhance the overall system safety. The proposed research will develop full 3D characterization of the flow field during a flapping/pitching blade under the activation of active flow control via arrays of synthetic jets to mitigate blade vibrations and to achieve improved performance in a variety of real-world conditions. This research aims to achieve the following objectives: (1) reduce vibrations at all operating conditions, and (2) reduce loads and vibrations on the blades during gusts. These objectives will ameliorate blade fatigue, and increase energy capture while maintaining safe operating limits. At high wind speed and/or wind gusts, flow control strategy will be developed to reduce blade loading and vibrations. Various sensors, mounted on the blades, would allow determination of the environmental operating conditions, blade structural state, and flow condition. Broader Impact: The proposed research will result in longer life-time of the blades, as well as enhanced power capture by enabling the design of larger turbines and improving operation under various dynamic conditions. The proposed project also has a strong educational component. Wind energy offers a timely and intriguing application and opportunity to engage and attract students. The PI will incorporate this research into his classroom to include the interdisciplinary nature of the project, involving fluid/structure interaction and aerodynamics. Prof. Amitay is a member of RPI's newly funded NSF GK-12 outreach program on Energy and Environment. He recently recruited a Hispanic Ph.D. student that has been working 15 hours a week with a high school teacher from Troy, NY in a wind energy related project. Furthermore, one grad student (Victor Maldonano, Hispanic) as well as an undergraduate student (Becca Ostman, female) will be appointed as research assistants for the duration of the program. Finally, Amitay is one of the directors of the Summer at RPI program and has been instructing short summer camps for middle and high school students in the last two summers on the Wonderful World of Flight. He will propose Wind Energy as next year's camp theme.