Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'WIND ENERGY APPLICATION'

The Thesis shows the perspectives of involving renewable energy resources into the energy balance of Russia, namely the use of wind energy for the purpose of energy supply for the objects of the Russian Gas transportation system. The methodology of the wind energy technical potential calculation is designed and the wind energy technical potential assessment for onshore and offshore zones of Russia is presented. The analysis of Russian Gas transportation system in terms of energy consumption is carried out when comparing the map of wind resources in Russia with the map of Russian Gas transportation system and the perspective of wind turbines installation is shown in order to offset energy consumption of the selected object of the Gas transportation system. The decision-making algorithm for wind turbines selection is developed for installation on the wind farm. Also indicators of investment attractiveness of the project of using wind turbines for compression stations energy supply were calculated.

In the promotion and development of renewable energy systems, control engineering is one area which can directly affect the overall system performance and economics and thus help to make renewable energies more attractive and popular. For cost effectiveness, ideally the renewable energy industry requires a control design technique which is very effective yet simple with methods that are transparent enough to allow implementation by non-control engineers. The objective of this thesis is to determine if Model Based Predictive Control (MBPC) is a suitable control technique for use by the renewable energy industry. MBPC is chosen as it uses simple and fairly transparent methods yet claims to be powerful and can deal with issues, such as non linearities and controller constraints, which are important in renewable energy systems. MBPC is applied to a solar power parabolic trough system and a variable speed wind turbine to enable the general applicability of MBPC to renewable energy systems to be tested and the possible benefits to the industry to be assessed. Also by applying the MBPC technique to these two strongly contrasting systems much experience is gained about the MBPC technique itself, and its strengths and weaknesses and ease of application are assessed. The investigation into the performance of Model Based Predictive Control and in particular its application in the renewable energy industry leads to two contrasting conclusions. For simple systems with non-demanding dynamics and having a good model of the system, MBPC provides a very good and effective solution. However for more demanding systems with complex dynamics and strong non-linearities, a basic MBPC controller, applied by a non-control engineer, cannot be recommended.

During the last several decades engineers and scientists put significant effort into developing reliable and efficient wind turbines. As a wind power production demands grow, the wind energy research and development need to be enhanced with high-precision methods and tools. These include time-dependent, full-scale, complex-geometry advanced computational simulations at large-scale. Those, computational analysis of wind turbines, including fluid-structure interaction simulations (FSI) at full scale is important for accurate and reliable modeling, as well as blade failure prediction and design optimization.

In current dissertation the FSI framework is applied to most challenging class of problems, such as large scale horizontal axis wind turbines and vertical axis wind turbines. The governing equations for aerodynamics and structural mechanics together with coupled formulation are explained in details. The simulations are performed for different wind turbine designs, operational conditions and validated against field-test and wind tunnel experimental data.

The aim of this thesis is to present a structural model for a wind turbine and its supporting pylon, to analyze and simulate attendant vibration phenomena and to suggest and simulate an appropriate control procedure. A wind turbine can be described as an elastic system consisting of distributed parameter, beam and rod type, elements coupled to a rotating lumped mass generator/turbine component at one end. We allow for both lateral and torsional movements of the beam. Solution methods for related vibration and control problems are suggested and analyzed. Results of computations for sample problems are presented. Applications of control of structural vibrations in wind energy units using proof mass type actuators as part of the tip mass are also analyzed.
Master of Science

Today, the great importance and benefits of renewable energies as a source of endless energy is obvious for all. Wind is recognized as one of the most stable and safest type of energy, due to ease of access as well as applying modern technical and scientific methods in order to its extraction. In this regard, much effort has been done in the developed societies to obtain knowledge besides getting access to new techniques in the exploitation of this unlimited wealth. Apart from the new aspects of the proposed research in wind area, the extraction operation requires specialists to advanced techniques and scientific research. The development of societies and their increasing necessity to energy resources have increased the importance of safe and clean renewable energy. This study investigates a technique to specify the power performance of the wind turbine directly from measured data which fluctuate with high frequency. This project is a review of a dynamical method for the specification of wind turbines' power curves. Considering the power output of a wind turbine in this study, the basic concept is to divide its dynamics into two components; a deterministic(relaxation) and a stochastic(noise) functions which are equivalent to the wind turbines' real behavior itself and the exterior wind turbulence. It specifically presents a procedure to estimate the reaction of the wind turbine as a machine to the wind speed dynamically. In this method, reconstruction of the coefficients from the measured data and extraction of the specification of the power output have been done. The main focus of this technique is on differential equations which are recognized as Langevin equations. As the consequence, it is shown; with this method we will be able to percept the conversion dynamics of wind turbines and get the power curves' results with high precision. The results demonstrate that power performance's specification is accurately reconstructed from the measured data by the quick estimation of the coefficients from data. Furthermore, the high accuracy and fast estimation of the power curves would be considered as preferences in this method.

Electrification of households in rural area and isolated regions plays a significant impact on the balanced economic development. Brazil grows with a high population growth rate, but still parts of rural area and isolated regions do not have the accessibility of electric power. This study focuses on the feasibility study of a hybrid PV-wind-biomass power system for rural electrification at Nazaré Paulista in southeast Brazil. This study was performed by using the hybrid renewable energy system software HOMER. The wind and solar data was collected from Surface meteorology and Solar Energy-NASA, and the biomass data was collected and estimated from other previous studies. The result shows, the hybrid PV-wind-biomass renewable system can meet 1,601 kWh daily demands and 360 kW peak load of the selected rural area. The power system composed of 200 kW PV panels, 200 kW biomass generator, 400 battery banks, and 200 kW converter. All the calculations were performed by Homer and the selection were based on the Net Present Cost (NPC) and Levelized cost of energy (COE). Because of the fossil fuels’ negative impacts on human health and environment, all the energy sources for this system are renewable energies which have less pollution.

The New European Wind Atlas (NEWA) was developed with an aim to provide high accuracy wind climate data for the region of EU and Turkey. Wind industry always seek for solid performance in wind resource assessment, and it is highly affected by the quality of modelled data. The aim of this study is to validate the newly developed wind atlas for two onshore sites in Sweden. Wind resource assessment is conducted using NEWA mesoscale data as wind condition of the sites. AEP estimation is performed using two different simulation tools, and the results of estimation are compared to the actual SCADA data for the validation of NEWA. During the process of simulation, downscaling is executed for the mesoscale data to reflect micro terrain effects. The result of the current study showed that NEWA mesoscale data represents wind climate very well for the onshore site with simple terrain. On the other hand, NEWA provided overestimated wind speeds for the relatively complex onshore site with forested areas. The overestimation of wind speed led to predict AEP significantly higher than the measurements. The result of downscaling showed only little difference to the original data, which can be explained by the sites’ low orographic complexity. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of NEWA and provides insights into its validity for onshore sites. It is beyond the scope of this study to investigate whole region covered by NEWA. A further study focusing on sites with higher orographic complexity or with cold climate is recommended to achieve further understanding of NEWA.

This research introduces the unified power flow controller (UPFC) as a means to improve the overall performance of wind energy conversion system (WECS) through the development of an appropriate control algorithm. Also, application of the proposed UPFC control algorithm has been extended in this research to overcome some problems associated with the internal faults associated with WECS- voltage source converter (VSC), such as miss-fire, fire-through and dc-link faults.

Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2008.
Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed May 12, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-66).

Due to the rising demand of energy over several decades, conventional energy resources have been continuously and drastically explored all around the world. As a result, global warming is inevitable due to the massive exhaust of CO2 into the atmosphere from the conventional energy sources. This global issue has become a high concern of industrial countries who are trying to reduce their emission production by increasing the utilization of renewable energies such as wind energy. Wind energy has become very attractive since the revolution of power electronics technology, which can be equipped with wind turbines. Wind energy can be optimally captured with wind turbine converters. However, these converters are very sensitive if connected with the grid as grid disturbances may have a catastrophic impact on the overall performance of the wind turbines.In this thesis, superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) is applied on wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) that are equipped with doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) during the presence of voltage sags and swells in the grid side. Without SMES, certain levels of voltage sags and swells in the grid side may cause a critical operating condition that may require disconnection of WECS to the grid. This condition is mainly determined by the voltage profile at the point of common coupling (PCC), which is set up differently by concerned countries all over the world. This requirement is determined by the transmission system operator (TSO) in conjunction with the concerned government. The determined requirement is known as grid codes or fault ride through (FRT) capability.The selection of a SMES unit in this thesis is based on its advantages over other energy storage technologies. Compared to other energy storage options, the SMES unit is ranked first in terms of highest efficiency, which is 90-99%. The high efficiency of the SMES unit is achieved by its low power loss because electric currents in the coil encounter almost no resistance and there are no moving parts, which means no friction losses. Meanwhile, DFIG is selected because it is the most popular installed WECS over the world. In 2004 about 55% of the total installed WECS worldwide were equipped with DFIG. There are two main strategies that can be applied to meet the grid requirements of a particular TSO. The first strategy is development of new control techniques to fulfil the criterion of the TSOs. This strategy, however, is applicable only to the new WECS that have not been connected to the power grid. If new control techniques are applied to the existing gridconnected WECSs, they will not be cost effective because the obsolete design must be dismantled and re-installed to comply with current grid code requirements. The second strategy is the utilization of flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices or storage energy devices to meet the grid code requirements. This strategy seems more appropriate for implementation in the existing WECS-grid connection in order to comply with the current grid code requirements. By appropriate design, the devices might be more cost effective compared to the first strategy, particularly for the large wind farms that are already connected to the grid.A new control algorithm of a SMES unit, which is simple but still involves all the important parameters, is employed in this study. Using the hysteresis current control approach in conjunction with a fuzzy logic controller, the SMES unit successfully and effectively improves the performance of the DFIG during voltage sag and swell events in the grid side; thus, this will prevent the WECS equipped with DFIG from being disconnected from the grid according to the selected fault ride through used in this study. The dynamic study of DFIG with SMES during short load variation is carried out as an additional advantage of SMES application on a DFIG system. In this study, the proposed SMES unit is controlled to compensate the reduced transfer power of DFIG during the short load variation event. Moreover, the SMES unit is also engaged in absorbing/storing some amount of excessive power that might be transferred to the grid when the local loads are suddenly decreased. Finally, the studies of intermittent misfires and fire-through that take place within the converters of DFIG are carried out in order to investigate the impact of these converter faults on the performance of DFIG. In this part, the proposed SMES unit is controlled to effectively improve the DFIG’s performance in order to prevent it from being disconnected or shut down from the power grid during the occurrence of these intermittent switching faults.

Wind energy industry thrived in the last three decades, environmental concerns and government regulations stimulate studies on wind farm location selection and wind turbine design. Full-scale experiments and high-fidelity simulations are restrictive due to the prohibitively high cost, while the model-scale experiments and low-fidelity calculations miss key flow physics of unsteady high Reynolds number flows. A hybrid RANS/LES turbulence model integrated with transition formulation is developed and tested by a surrogate model problem through joint experimental and computational fluid dynamics approaches. The model problem consists of a circular cylinder for generating coherent unsteadiness and a downstream airfoil in the cylinder wake. The cylinder flow is subcritical, with a Reynolds number of 64,000 based upon the cylinder diameter. The quantitative dynamics of vortex shedding and Reynolds stresses in the cylinder near wake were well captured, owing to the turbulence-resolving large eddy simulation method that was invoked in the wake. The power spectrum density of velocity components showed that the flow fluctuations were well-maintained in cylinder wake towards airfoil and the hybrid model switched between RANS/LES mode outside boundary layer as expected. According to the experimental and simulation results, the airfoil encountered local flow angle variations up to ±50 degrees, and the turbulent airfoil boundary layer remained attached. Inspecting the boundary layer profiles over one shedding cycle, the oscillation about mean profile resembled the Stokes layer with zero mean. Further processing the data through phase-averaging technique found phase lags along the chordwise locations and both the phase-averaged and mean profiles collapsed into the Law of Wall in the range of 0 < y+ < 50. The features of high blade loading fluctuations due to unsteadiness and transitional boundary layers are of interest in the aerodynamic studies of full-scale wind turbine blades, making the model problem a comprehensive benchmark case for future model development and validation.
Ph. D.

Current flow in the electrical grid is changing due to the introduction of new generators and loads.Specifically, weak Overhead lines, are a constraint for the introduction of wind farms located farfrom the central network. The current situation requires smart solutions to improve the transportationcapabilities of these grid’s components. Among the different possibilities, Dynamic Line Rating(DLR), is emerging as the most interesting solution from both the economic and technical points ofview. The presented Thesis work investigates the performance of DLR from both the theoretical andpractical perspectives.The theory behind DLR is based on the development of a thermal model able to estimate the precisetemperature experienced by OHLs conductor under different climate conditions. Since 1972, whenthe first investigation on DLR have been published, different thermal models have been developed,each with a different precision level. The first part of the thesis concerns the investigation of IEEE738 standard accuracy.The standard analysis highlighted weaknesses on the theoretical approach employed on the forcedconvective cooling calculation. Specifically the wind direction effect is estimated as the conductorwas a perfect cylinder. A wind tunnel test has been performed in order to verify the effect of theconductor’s strands on the total thermal equilibrium. The results show that an inclined wind-conductor relative direction can have a more important impacton the line rating than foreseen with the IEEE thermal model. Since the wind tunnel test has been thefirst experience of this kind pursued at KTH, the presence of few different laboratory set-updeficiencies did not allow to draw a definitive and precise conclusion on the necessary IEEE formulacorrection.The practical side of the Thesis project includes an extensive literature research on the differentdevices that can be employed for dynamic line rating and a real-case study analysis. The analysis isperformed in order to evaluate which can be the best solution when the introduction of new windenergy supply increase the load on a pre-existent OHL. Results show that, in the selected region,Värmland, in the southwestern Sweden, DLR has the prerequisites to allow the exploitation of thehigh wind energy resource at the lower expenses. Wind energy production is often associated with anincreased cooling on the line’s conductors. This means that higher current levels can be withstoodavoiding the need for expensive lines’ upgrading. For the selected hot-spot, in 2015, DLR wouldhave allowed a transport capability improvement of 69.6% during the summer and of 26.7% duringthe winter. It is also reported that a load equal to the SLR during the winter period would have causedserious overheating transients of the conductor. Overall DLR proved to allow technical and economicbenefit for the system operator.
Flödet genom elnätet förändras på grund av införandet av ny generering och nya typer av laster.Specifikt är svaga luftledningar en begränsning för installation av vindkraft som ligger långt fråndet centrala nätet. Den nuvarande situationen kräver smarta lösningar för att förbättratransportkapaciteten i elnätet. Bland de olika möjligheterna finns Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) somframstår som den mest intressanta lösningen från både ekonomiska och tekniska synvinklar. Det härexamensarbetet behandlar resultatet av DLR från både teoretiska och praktiska perspektiv.Den teoretiska grunden för DLR är baserad på utvecklingen av en termisk modell som kan skattatemperaturen i luftledningar under olika klimatförhållanden. Examensarbetets första del behandlaren undersökning av IEEE 738 standarden (DLR standard). IEEE 738 standarden utgår från ledarensom en perfekt cylinder. Något som har en effekt bland annat i effekten av vindriktning. Ettvindtunnel test har utförts för att verifiera effekten av fler kardelers effekt på den totala termiskajämvikten. Resultaten visar att antalet kardeler har en betydande effekt på den termiska jämviktenoch då alltså även på DLR.Den andra delen av examensarbetet innehåller en omfattande litteratursökning på de olikaapparaterna som kan användas till DLR samt en praktik undersökning/analys. Analysen utförs föratt utvärdera vilken lösning som kan vara den bästa vid införandet av mer vindkraft, som ökarbelastningen på en redan existerande luftledning. Resultaten visar att, i det valda området,Värmland, i sydvästra Sverige, har DLR förutsättningar för att medge ökat utnyttjandet av den storavindkraft resurs som finns där till relativt låga kostnader. Slutsatsen av examensarbetet är att DLR ger tekniska och ekonomiska fördelar tillsystemoperatören.

The Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (Altamont) near Livermore, California is the oldest and largest wind farm in the United States. It is known as a location of high avian mortality, especially for diurnal raptors such as the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). Using the avian monitoring data collected at Altamont for over thirteen years (1998-2003, 2005- 2011), records were analyzed of 134 golden eagle deaths caused by wind turbine collisions. All wind turbines present during the same temporal range were characterized according to turbine variables, and geographic placement characteristics. Values of turbines that killed golden eagles were compared to values of turbnes that did not. It was discovered that turbines that have killed golden eagles (kill turbines) share characteristics that are significantly different from those that have not. Kill turbines are more often situated on lattice structure towers, have larger rotor blade-swept areas, placed in less dense turbine arrays, are further away from the next nearest turbine and are less often placed on top of ridgelines compared to nonkill turbines. Finally, kill turbines are more often situated at the end of a turbine row than are nonkill turbines. The differences between kill and nonkill turbine model, hill slope, tower height, generating capacity, array diversity, row count of turbines and placement in a hill saddle were found to be not significant. These findings support in part, earlier turbine studies at Altamont, but do not concur with all previous findings. The methods used in this study can be applied to any bird species at Altamont and at any wind resource area throughout the world. As the wind industry continues to grow, techniques used in studies such as this are an important tool that can be used to direct wildlife conservation policies.

This thesis deals with the analysis of a permanent magnet synchronous generator suited for direct-drivenwind turbines inmegawatt class. The higher specific torque and power density of a transverse flux permanent magnet machine in comparison to conventional radial-flux machines make it a promising solution for direct-driven wind turbine generators. The novel transverse flux generator investigated in this work would allow a better utilization of the available nacelle space due to its more compact construction. The major part of the thesis deals with the finite element analysis and analytical calculations of transverse flux generators. The computations are performed for single units of the basic transverse flux topology (BTFM) and the one utilizing iron bridges (IBTFM). As the selection of the pole length in a transverse flux machine affects the pole-to-pole flux leakage and thus its performance, the topologies have been analyzed with respect to the varying dimensions in the direction of movement. The topologies utilizing IBTFM have been found to be superior to the BTFM with respect to the flux linkage (by 110%) and utilization of the magnets (by 84%). The machines with longest magnets gave the largest flux linkage, while machines with short magnets should be preferred for better magnet utilization. The four sets of dimensions have been selected for a dynamic finite element analysis. The power factor is evaluated for the topologies with the varying dimensions in the peripheral plane in static finite element analysis. The performance of the topologies with the best power factor in the studied range (0.62 in the BTFM and 0.57 in the IBTFM), as well as the topologies that give the highest power factor to magnet volume ratio, is compared with the dynamic simulations.The electromagnetic and cogging forces of the transverse-flux generator are estimated. The IBTFM is superior to the BTFM with respect to the force production, where the three-phase electromagnetic force is twice as large as in the BTFM. The force ripples of the three-phase electromagnetic force are found to be insignificant in both topologies. An analytical procedure based on the results from the finite element simulations is applied for evaluation of the transverse flux generators with different shapes and topologies. The effectiveness of each topology is investigated based on the estimation of the torque production in a certain nacelle volume. A toroidal generator with the iron-bridge topology is the most compact alternativefor a wind turbine as it has the highest torque-per-volume ratio. Furthermore, the analyticalmodel, including evaluation of the synchronous inductance, is developed and compared with the results obtained in the threedimensional finite element analysis. Themodel provides a good agreement for the studied set of dimensions.
QC 20101109

In the transition from traditional power plants to more environmentally friendly alternatives will generate a need for more flexibility in production, transmission and consumption. Energy storage can be provide the flexibility that are required to continue to have a robust and stable electrical system. The purpose of this report is to give an overview of the electrical energy storage technologies. The classification of energy storage technologies used in this report is mechanical, chemical and electrical. In these three categories were ten different technologies presented with function, advantages, disadvantages, degree of maturity and research area for each technology. The distribution between the globally operational energy storage technologies were presented. Also the framework and regulations for actors to own and operate an energy storage in Sweden. This review was complemented with a case study about connecting a lithium ion battery system to a wind farm. The case investigated the profitability for 20 MW wind farm with a 12 MW and 18 MWh energy storage system for a five and ten-year period. The utilization of the storage was optimized with \textit{What's best} for three different investment cost. The review were done in order to answer: what is the futures energy storage technology?, what applications can be replaced by energy storage for an electricity producer? and what will the effects be of the new actor Aggregator? The result from comparing three different prices for lithium ion batteries resulted in a non-profit scenario for all the cases in a five-year period. There were a maximum, minimum and predicted futuristic price, which generated a loss of 731, 220 and 76.6 MSEK for respective case. Only the futuristic price for a ten-year period indicated an profit. The conclusion that can be drawn from this case study is that energy storage is too expensive and the extra income from utilization of the energy storage is not enough to motivate an energy storage investment. There are not a single technology that possesses all of the required properties for the applications. In the future there will be a combination of technologies to cover all the applications. For the seasonal storage pumped hydro and compressed air are most promising technologies. The flywheels and supercapacitors can contribute with short powerful burst of energy that are needed for power quality and operating reserves. For the more wide range application such as power fleet optimization and integrate the renewable energy production, batteries in form of lithium ion battery and sodium-sulfur battery will most probably be used. For electricity producers energy storage can replace existing solutions. Instead of using diesel generators for black start services, an battery can be used. Also the power quality could be enhanced with batteries acting as filters. The process can be more utilized in a more efficient way with an energy storage. The aggregator actor gathers small variable load from e.g several houses and participate on the electricity market. This actor will level out the differences in power demand during the day. It will reduce the losses and reduce the need for grid investments in both the transmission and distribution networks. It would also generate more available frequency reserves and probably change how the market is paying for the generated benefits.

Energia eólica pode ser convertida através de turbina de pequeno porte, inclusive em edificações residenciais e pequenos comércios, configurando a “geração distribuída”. Alguns benefícios de gerar a própria energia elétrica ainda não são conhecidos pela maioria das pessoas. No Brasil, o fato de receber créditos de energia ao gerar quantidade maior do que o consumo próprio, não é divulgado adequadamente pelas concessionárias de energia, nem pelos órgãos reguladores. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho apresenta um método para desenvolvimento e a implementação de um sistema de informação para área de energia eólica. O processo de elaboração do sistema foi derivado da metodologia RMM para desenvolvimento de aplicativos. A partir da metodologia proposta, o sistema foi implementado e disponibilizado ao público em geral. O sistema conta com um aplicativo de simulação de geração de energia com turbina eólica de pequeno porte. O aplicativo de simulação está dividido em sete seções onde o usuário poderá saber, por exemplo, quais as dimensões de uma turbina eólica para suprir toda sua demanda por energia elétrica. Além disso, o aplicativo informa características de quatro tipos de turbinas comerciais e quatro não comerciais, o valor de investimento no equipamento, o tempo de retorno deste investimento e o quanto de CO2 – gás do efeito estufa, o usuário deixa de emitir ao usar o sistema de geração simulado. O sistema de informação proposto está sendo avaliado com o uso de duas ferramentas: Google Analytics para se obter informações de acessos e Google Formulários, que possibilitou a obtenção de respostas relacionadas ao uso geral do sistema a partir de um questionário online. Em relação aos dados de acesso ao sistema, foram obtidas 5244 visualizações incluindo 1085 simulações realizadas em 243 dias monitorados. Durante este período, 1505 usuários de 9 países acessaram o sistema. Em relação ao questionário, aproximadamente dois terços responderam que consideram o aplicativo muito intuitivo e quase 85% dos que responderam consideram investir em um sistema de geração própria de energia após interagir com o sistema.
Wind energy can be converted through small turbine, including for use in residential buildings and small trades, creating the distributed generation. Some benefits of generating electricity itself are still not known for most people. In Brazil, the receipt of energy credits for generating amount greater than the actual consumption is not disclosed properly by power utilities, let alone by regulators. Thus, this work presents a method for the development and the implementation of an information system for wind energy area. The system development process was derived from the RMM methodology for application development. From the proposed methodology, the system was implemented and made available to the general public. The system has a simulation application for wind energy generation. The simulation application is divided into seven sections where the user can know, for example, what are the dimensions of a wind turbine to supply its entire demand for electricity. In addition, the application informs features of four types of commercial and four non-commercial turbines, the amount of investment in equipment, return time investment and how much CO2 avoid with use of the simulated turbine. The proposed information system is being evaluated using two tools: Google Analytics to obtain information access to the system and Google Form, which allowed obtaining answers related to the general use of the system from an online evaluation questionnaire. In relation to the system access data, 5244 visualizations were obtained, including 1085 simulations performed in 243 monitored days. During this time, 1505 users from 9 countries accessed the system. Regarding the questionnaire, approximately two-thirds responded that they considered the application very intuitive and almost 72% of respondents consider investing in a system of own power generation after interacting with the system.

In the wind resource and wind turbine suitability industry Computational Fluid Dynamics has gained widespread use to model the airflow at proposed wind farm locations. These models typically focus on the neutrally stratified surface layer and ignore physical process such as buoyancy and the Coriolis force. These physical processes are integral to the accurate description of the atmospheric boundary layer and reductions in uncertainties of turbine suitability and power production calculations can be achieved if these processes are included. The present work focuses on atmospheric flows in which atmospheric stability and the Coriolis force are included. The study uses Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory to analyse time series data output from a proposed wind farm location to determine the prevalence and impact of stability at the location. The output provides the necessary site data required for the CFD model as well as stability-dependent wind profiles from measurements. The results show non-neutral stratification to be the dominant condition onsite with impactful windfield changes between stability conditions. The wind flows considered in this work are classified as high Reynolds number flows and are based on numerical solutions of the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations. A two-equation closure method for turbulence based on the k __ turbulence model is utilized. Modifications are introduced to standard CFD model equations to account for the impact of atmospheric stability and ground roughness effects. The modifications are introduced by User Defined Functions that describe the profiles, source terms and wall functions required for the ABL CFD model. Two MOST models and two wall-function methods are investigated. The modifications are successfully validated using the horizontal homogeneity test in which the modifications are proved to be in equilibrium by the model�s ability to maintain inlet profiles of velocity and turbulence in an empty domain. The ABL model is applied to the complex terrain of the proposed wind farm location used in the data analysis study. The inputs required for the stability modifications are generated using the available measured data. Mesoscale data are used to describe the inlet boundary conditions. The model is successfully validated by cross prediction of the stabilitydependent wind velocity profiles between the two onsite masts. The advantage of the developed model is the applicability into standard wind industry loading and power production calculations using outputs from typical onsite measurement campaigns. The model is tuning-free and the site-specific modifications are input directly into the developed User Defined Functions. In summary, the results show that the implemented modifications and developed methods are applicable and reproduce the main wind flow characteristics in neutral and non-neutral flows over complex wind farm terrains. In additions, the developed method reduce modelling uncertainties compared against models and measurements that neglect non-neutral stratification.
Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2018.
Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering
MEng
Unrestricted

This Ph.D. thesis illustrates a novel study on the analytical and numerical design optimization of radial-flux permanent magnet synchronous wind generators (PMSGs) for small power generation in an urban area, in which an outer rotor topology with a closed-slot stator is employed. The electromagnetic advantages of a double-layer fractional concentration non-overlapping winding configuration are discussed. The analytical behavior of a PMSG is studied in detail; especially for magnetic flux density distribution, time and space harmonics, flux linkages, back-EMF, cogging torque, torque, output power, efficiency, and iron losses computation. The electromagnetic behavior of PMSGs are evaluated when a number of various Halbach array magnetization topologies are presented to maximize the generator’s performance. In addition, the thermal behavior of the PMSG is improved using an innovative natural air-cooling system for rated speed and higher to decrease the machine’s heat mainly at the stator teeth. The analytical investigation is verified via 2-D and 3-D finite element analysis along with a good experimental agreement. Design optimization of electrical machines plays the deterministic role in performance improvements such as the magnetization pattern, output power, and efficiency maximization, as well as losses and material cost minimization. This dissertation proposes a novel multi-objective design optimization technique using a dual-level response surface methodology (D-RSM) and Booth’s algorithm (coupled to a memetic algorithm known as simulated annealing) to maximize the output power and minimize material cost through sizing optimization. Additionally, the efficiency maximization by D-RSM is investigated while the PMSG and drive system are on duty as the whole. It is shown that a better fit is available when utilizing modern design functions such as mixed-resolution central composite (MR-CCD) and mixed-resolution robust (MR-RD), due to controllable and uncontrollable design treatments, and also a Window-Zoom-in approach. The proposed design optimization was verified by an experimental investigation. Additionally, there are several novel studies on vibro-acoustic design optimization of the PMSGs with considering variable speed analysis and natural frequencies using two techniques to minimize the magnetic noise and vibrations. Photovoltaic system design optimization considered of 3-D modeling of an innovative application-oriented urban environment structure, a smart tree for small power generation. The horizon shading is modeled as a broken line superimposed onto the sun path diagram, which can hold any number of height/azimuth points in this original study. The horizon profile is designed for a specific location on the Barcelona coast in Spain and the meteorological data regarding the location of the project was also considered. Furthermore, the input weather data is observed and stored for the whole year (in 2016). These data include, ambient temperature, module’s temperature (open and closed circuits tests), and shading average rate. A novel Pareto-based 3-D analysis was used to identify complete and partial shading of the photovoltaic system. A significant parameter for a photovoltaic (PV) module operation is the nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT). In this research, a glass/glass module has been referenced to the environment based on IEC61215 via a closed-circuit and a resistive load to ensure the module operates at the maximum power point. The proposed technique in this comparative study attempts to minimize the losses in a certain area with improved output energy without compromising the overall efficiency of the system. A Maximum Power Point Track (MPPT) controller is enhanced by utilizing an advanced perturb & observe (P&O) algorithm to maintain the PV operating point at its maximum output under different temperatures and insolation. The most cost-effective design of the PV module is achieved via optimizing installation parameters such as tilt angle, pitch, and shading to improve the energy yield. The variation of un-replicated factorials using a Window-Zoom-in approach is examined to determine the parameter settings and to check the suitability of the design. An experimental investigation was carried out to verify the 3-D shading analysis and NOCT technique for an open-circuit and grid-connected PV module.
Esta tesis muestra un novedoso estudio referente al diseño optimizado de forma analítica y numérica de un generador síncrono de imanes permanentes (PMSGs) para una aplicación de microgeneración eólica en un entorno urbano, donde se ha escogido una topología de rotor exterior con un estator de ranuras cerradas. Las ventajas electromagnéticas de los arrollamientos fraccionarios de doble capa, con bobinas concentradas se discuten ampliamente en la parte inicial del diseño del mismo, así como las características de distribución de la inducción, los armónicos espaciales y temporales, la fem generada, el par de cogging así como las características de salida (par, potencia generada, la eficiencia y la distribución y cálculo de las pérdidas en el hierro que son analizadas detalladamente) Posteriormente se evalúan diferentes configuraciones de estructuras de imanes con magnetización Halbach con el fin de maximizar las prestaciones del generador. Adicionalmente se analiza la distribución de temperaturas y su mejora mediante el uso de un novedoso diseño mediante el uso de ventilación natural para velocidades próximas a la nominal y superiores con el fin de disminuir la temperatura de la máquina, principalmente en el diente estatórico. El cálculo analítico se completa mediante simulaciones 2D y 3D utilizando el método de los elementos finitos así como mediante diversas experiencias que validan los modelos y aproximaciones realizadas. Posteriormente se desarrollan algoritmos de optimización aplicados a variables tales como el tipo de magnetización, la potencia de salida, la eficiencia así como la minimización de las pérdidas y el coste de los materiales empleados. En la tesis se proponen un nuevo diseño optimizado basado en una metodología multinivel usando la metodología de superficie de respuesta (D-RSM) y un algoritmo de Booth (maximizando la potencia de salida y minimizando el coste de material empleado) Adicionalmente se investiga la maximización de la eficiencia del generador trabajando conjuntamente con el circuito de salida acoplado. El algoritmo utilizado queda validado mediante la experimentación desarrollada conjuntamente con el mismo. Adicionalmente, se han realizado diversos estudios vibroacústicos trabajando a velocidad variable usando dos técnicas diferentes para reducir el ruido generado y las vibraciones producidas. Posteriormente se considera un sistema fotovoltaico orientado a aplicaciones urbanas que hemos llamado “Smart tree for small power generation” y que consiste en un poste con un generador eólico en la parte superior juntamente con uno o más paneles fotovoltaicos. Este sistema se ha modelado usando metodologías en 3D. Se ha considerado el efecto de las sombras proyectadas por los diversos elementos usando datos meteorológicos y de irradiación solar de la propia ciudad de Barcelona. Usando una metodología basada en un análisis 3D y Pareto se consigue identificar completamente el sistema fotovoltaico; para este sistema se considera la temperatura de la célula fotovoltaica y la carga conectada con el fin de generar un algoritmo de control que permita obtener el punto de trabajo de máxima potencia (MPPT) comprobándose posteriormente el funcionamiento del algoritmo para diversas situaciones de funcionamiento del sistema
La tesis desenvolupa un nou estudi per al disseny optimitzat, analític i numèric, d’un generador síncron d’imants permanents (PMSGs) per a una aplicació de microgeneració eòlica en aplicacions urbanes, on s’ha escollit una configuració amb rotor exterior i estator amb ranures tancades. Es discuteixen de forma extensa els avantatges electromagnètics dels bobinats fraccionaris de doble capa així com les característiques resultats vers la distribució de les induccions, els harmònics espacials i temporals, la fem generada, el parell de cogging i les característiques de sortida (parell, potencia, eficiència i pèrdues) Tanmateix s’afegeix l’estudi de diferents estructures Halbach per als imants permanents a fi i efecte de maximitzar les característiques del generador. Tot seguit s’analitza la distribució de temperatures i la seva reducció mitjançant la utilització d’una nova metodologia basada en la ventilació natural. Els càlculs analítics es complementen mitjançant anàlisi en 2 i 3 dimensions utilitzant elements finits i diverses experiències que validen els models i aproximacions emprades. Una vegada fixada la geometria inicial es desenvolupen algoritmes d’optimització per a diverses variables (tipus de magnetització dels imants, potencia de sortida, eficiència, minimització de pèrdues i cost dels materials) La tesi planteja una optimització multinivell emprant la metodologia de superfície de resposta i un algoritme de Booth; a més, es realitza la optimització considerant el circuit de sortida. L’algoritme resta validat per la experimentació realitzada. Finalment, s’han considerat diversos estudis vibroacústic treballant a velocitat variable, emprant dues tècniques diferents per a reduir el soroll i les vibracions desenvolupades. Per a finalitzar l’estudi es considera un sistema format per una turbina eòlica instal·lada sobre un pal de llum autònom, els panells fotovoltaics corresponents i el sistema de càrrega. Per a modelitzar l’efecte de l’ombrejat s’ha emprat un model en 3D i les dades del temps i d’irradiació solar de la ciutat de Barcelona. El model s’ha identificat completament i s’ha generat un algoritme de control que considera, a més, l’efecte de la temperatura de la cèl·lula fotovoltaica y la càrrega connectada al sistema per tal d’aconseguir el seguiment del punt de màxima potencia

The awareness of the human responsibility in global warming has led to various private and public initiatives to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, up to international level. In this context the development of renewable technologies in two sectors having an important ecological footprint, i.e. production of electricity and transportation, is targeted.In the firstly mentioned sector, the progression of wind energy is at present the most rapid among all renewable energies. But wind turbines still suffer from a global lack of reliability and accessibility compared to classical power plants, leading to potentially important production losses and repair costs. The first part of the present work focuses on the improvement of the electrical chain reliability by the combination of an estimator and a fault-detection algorithm to achieve sensor-fault tolerance, taking benefit from the already available measurement redundancies on doubly-fed-induction-machine (DFIG) drives.Estimators and sensor-fault detection and isolation (FDI) in DFIGs have been the object of many research papers. However, most of them only consider one unique type of measurement and only a few works consider magnetic saturation. A new combination of a closed-loop observer with a cumulative-sum-based FDI technique, considering magnetic saturation and using limited computational resources is proposed here to estimate electromagnetic torque, rotor currents and position for sensor-fault detection and tolerance. This algorithm is then validated in steady state and in case of moderate transients, unbalanced conditions and misestimation of DFIG parameters. The estimator can also start on the fly during the start-up process of the generator.In the transportation sector, new hybrid and full-electric vehicles start to be visible on the roads, but still need important technological improvements in terms of autonomy, performances, but also produced noise and vibrations. The objectives of the second part of this doctoral thesis are related to this last challenge and consist of the experimental investigation of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) aspects of an 8/6 switched-reluctance machine (SRM) designed for an electrical vehicle (EV).The NVH issues of SRMs, limiting their usage in automotive and other domains, have been the subject of various papers. However, most of them focus on modal analysis or detailed phenomena, while a global evaluation of NVH aspects of SRMs in normal working conditions is rarely made, as well as the use of reproducible sound metrics. A global and relatively fast experimental method to assess the evolution of noise and vibration is proposed. Tests are performed in transient regime, using continuously varying working conditions when possible, for the excitation of a large band of frequencies. The resulting current, radial vibration and acoustic noise are presented as spectrograms for an easy distinction of affected and unaffected frequencies and compared with the associated loudness and sharpness.Furthermore, the implementation of a new faster-sampled current-hysteresis controller has allowed to improve the quality of the control and of the acoustic noise by reducing the current-ripple amplitude and the excitation of resonances. The various tests show that the switching frequency has to be high enough to avoid exciting the ovalization mode of the SRM, but not too high to avoid producing a too sharp noise. The ripple amplitude also has to be considered to limit the loudness. Therefore, soft chopping, or a reduced DC-bus voltage at low speeds, has to be preferred with a relative small hysteresis bandwidth. Finally, the case of an open-phase fault has been investigated showing amplified even current orders in the vibration and acoustic-noise plots.
La prise de conscience de la responsabilité humaine dans le réchauffement climatique est à la source de nombreuses initiatives publiques et privées parfois internationales pour réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Dans ce contexte, le développement de technologies durables dans deux secteurs à forte empreinte écologique est visé: la production d'énergie électrique et les transports. Dans le premier secteur, la progression de l'éolien est à présent la plus rapide parmi toutes les énergies renouvelables. Cependant, les éoliennes souffrent d'un manque global de fiabilité et d'accessibilité par rapport aux centrales électriques classiques, ce qui conduit potentiellement à des pertes de production et des coûts de réparation importants. La première partie de ce travail se focalise sur l'amélioration de la chaîne électrique en la rendant tolérante aux défauts de capteurs au moyen de la combinaison d'un estimateur et d'un algorithme de détection de défauts, tirant avantage de la redondance de mesures déjà présente sur les entraînements à machines asynchrones à double alimentation (MADA). Les estimateurs et la détection et l'isolation de défauts de capteurs sur les MADA a fait l'objet de nombreuses publications scientifiques. Cependant, la plupart d'entre elles considèrent un seul type de mesure et peu de travaux prennent en compte la saturation magnétique. Une nouvelle combinaison d'un observateur et d'un algorithme de détection de défauts de type ‘CUSUM', considérant la saturation magnétique et nécessitant une puissance de calcul limitée, est proposée dans cette thèse pour l'estimation du couple électromagnétique, des courants et de la position rotoriques en vue d'obtenir la tolérance aux défauts de capteurs. Cet algorithme est validé en régime permanent et cas de transitoires modérés, de tensions du réseau déséquilibrées et d'erreurs d'estimation des paramètres de laMADA. L'estimateur est aussi capable de démarrer seul lors du démarrage de la génératrice. Dans le secteur des transports, des véhicules hybrides et électriques commencent à être visibles sur les routes, malgré que des progrès technologiques importants en termes d'autonomie, de performances, mais aussi de bruits et vibrations soient encore nécessaires pour une utilisation plus intensive. L'objectif de la deuxième partie de cette thèse se rapporte à ce dernier défi et consiste à analyser les aspects acoustiques et vibratoires d'une machine à réluctance variable 8/6 conçue pour propulser un véhicule électrique. Ces problèmes acoustiques et vibratoires, qui limitent notamment l'usage de telles machines dans des applications de propulsion, ont été l'objet de divers articles scientifiques. Cependant, la plupart d'entre eux sont focalisés sur des analyses modales ou de phénomènes particuliers, alors qu'une évaluation globale des problèmes de bruit et de vibration des machines à réluctance variable en conditions normales de fonctionnement est rarement proposée, de même que l'utilisation de critères de qualité sonore. Une méthode expérimentale globale et relativement rapide pour évaluer l'évolution du bruit et des vibrations est proposée dans ce travail. Les essais sont réalisés en régime transitoire pour exciter une large bande de fréquences et en faisant varier continuellement, quand cela est possible, les conditions de fonctionnement. Les courants, vibrations radiales et bruits acoustiques résultants sont présentés sous formes de cartographies couleur pour une distinction aisée des fréquences affectées et non-affectées et comparés aux niveaux calculés de bruyance et d'acuité correspondants. Par ailleurs, la mise en place d'un nouveau régulateur à hystérèse en courant à plus grande fréquence d'échantillonnage a permis d'améliorer la qualité de la commande et du bruit acoustique associé en réduisant l'amplitude des oscillations de courant et l'excitation des fréquences de résonance. Les essais montrent que la fréquence de commutation doit être suffisamment élevée pour éviter l'excitation du mode d'ovalisation de la machine, mais pas trop pour éviter une trop grande acuité du son produit. L'amplitude des oscillations doit aussi être considérée pour limiter la bruyance. En conséquence, une commande en ‘soft chopping', ou une tension réduite du bus continu à basse vitesse, doit être combinée à une bande d'hystérèse relativement faible. Enfin, le cas d'un défaut de phase ouverte a été étudié et a montré une amplification des ordres pairs du courant dans les spectres vibratoires et acoustiques.
De bewustwording van de menselijke verantwoordelijkheid in de opwarming van de aarde heeft tot verschillende private en publieke initiatieven geleid om de uitstoot van broeikasgassen te verminderen. In deze context is de ontwikkeling van hernieuwbare technologieën hoofdzakelijk gericht op twee sectoren met een belangrijke ecologische impact: elektriciteitsproductie en transport.In de eerste sector ontwikkelt windenergie zich op dit moment sneller dan alle andere hernieuwbare energieën. Maar windturbines lijden nog steeds aan een gebrek aan betrouwbaarheid en toegankelijkheid, en dus aan potentieel hogere productieverliezen en herstelkosten, als ze met klassieke krachtcentrales worden vergeleken. In het eerste deel van deze doctoraatsthesis wordt op de verbetering van de elektrische keten geconcentreerd door de combinatie van een schatter en een foutdetectie- en -isolatiealgoritme (FDI-algoritme) om sensorfouttolerantie te verkrijgen dankzij de reeds aanwezige meetovertolligheid op dubbelgevoede inductiemachine (DFIG) aandrijvingen.Schatters en sensor-FDI-algoritmen zijn het onderwerp van vele wetenschappelijke artikelen geweest. Meestal wordt maar één sensortype beschouwd en met de magnetische verzadiging wordt niet vaak rekening gehouden. Een nieuwe combinatie van een schatter met gesloten terugkoppeling en een FDI-techniek gebaseerd op het ‘cumulative-sum' principe is voorgesteld. Zo kan het elektromagnetische koppel, de rotorstromen en positie worden geschat voor sensor FDI en fouttolerantie met beperkte rekenkosten en zonder de magnetische verzadering te verwaarlozen. Het algoritme wordt in stabiele toestand gevalideerd, maar ook in het geval van gematigde transiënte situaties, onevenwichtige netwerkomstandigheden en een verkeerde schatting van DFIG parameters. Het kan ook vanzelf starten tijdens de startprocedure van de generator.In de vervoersector beginnen hybride en elektrische voertuigen op de wegen te rijden. Maar vooreen intensiever gebruik van zo'n wagens zijn er nog technologische verbeteringen nodig met betrekking tot autonomie, prestaties en ook geluid en trillingen (NVH). Het tweede deel van de thesis betreft die laatste uitdaging en bestaat uit het experimentele onderzoek van geluid en trillingen op een 8/6 variabelereluctantiemachine (SRM) ontwikkeld voor elektrische voertuigen.De NVH-problemen van SRM's beperken hun gebruik in automobiele en andere toepassingen enonderzoek wordt erover voortgezet. Vele wetenschappelijke artikelen focussen toch op modale analyse of gedetailleerde fenomenen terwijl een globale evaluatie van NVH aspecten in SRM's in gewone operatiecondities nauwelijks wordt gemaakt. Hetzelfde geldt voor het gebruik van reproduceerbare geluidsmetrieken. Een globale en vrij vlugge experimentele methode is hier voorgesteld om het NVH gedrag te schatten. Testen worden in transiënte situaties uitgevoerd om een brede frequentieband te exciteren, indien mogelijk met voortdurend variërende condities. De gemeten fasestroom, trilling en geluid worden als kleurmappen geplot om het verschil tussen beïnvloede en niet geaffecteerde frequenties te vergemakkelijken en met de berekende akoestische luidheid en scherpte vergeleken.Bovendien heeft de implementatie van een sneller bemonsterd stroomhysteresisregelaar geleid tot een verbetering van de regulatie- en akoestische kwaliteit door de amplitude van de stroomrimpeling en de excitatie van resonantiefrequenties te verminderen. De testresultaten tonen dat de schakelfrequentie voldoende hoog moet zijn om de excitatie van de ovale vervormingsmode te vermijden, maar niet te hoog om de scherpte van het geluid te beperken. De amplitude van de rimpel beïnvloedt ook de luidheid en daarvoor moet in aanmerking worden genomen. Bijgevolg zou ‘soft chopping'mode, of een lagere spanning op de DC-bus bij lage toerentallen, met een relatief klein hysteresisband beter worden gebruikt. Uiteindelijk wordt het geval van een openfasefout bestudeerd en onthult versterkte gelijke frequentievolgorden in de trilling- en geluidplots.
Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur et technologie
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This research has developed a novel sustainability assessment framework for electricity technologies and scenarios, taking into account techno-economic, environmental and social aspects. The methodology uses a life cycle approach and considers relevant sustainability impacts along the supply chain. The framework is generic and applicable to a range of electricity technologies and scenarios. To test the methodology, sustainability assessments have been carried out first for different technologies and then for a range of possible future electricity scenarios for the UK. The electricity options considered either contribute significantly to the current UK electricity mix or will play a greater role in the future; these are nuclear power (PWR), natural gas (CCGT), wind (offshore), solar (residential PV) and coal power (subcritical pulverised). The results show that no one technology is superior and that certain tradeoffs must be made. For example, nuclear and offshore wind power have the lowest life cycle environmental impacts, except for freshwater eco-toxicity for which gas is the best option; coal and gas are the cheapest options, but both have high global warming potential; PV has relatively low global warming potential but high cost, ozone layer and resource depletion. Nuclear, wind and PV increase certain aspects of energy security but introduce potential grid management problems; nuclear also poses complex risk and intergenerational questions. Five potential future electricity mixes have also been examined within three overarching scenarios, spanning 2020 to 2070, and compared to the present-day UK grid. The scenarios have been guided by three different approaches to climate change: one future in which little action is taken to reduce CO2 emissions (‘65%’), one in which electricity decarbonises by 80% by 2050 in line with the UK’s CO2 reduction target (‘80%’), and one in which electricity is virtually decarbonised (at the point of generation) by 2050, in line with current policy (‘100%’).In order to examine the sustainability implications of these scenarios, the assessment results from the present-day comparison were projected forward to describe each technology in future time periods. Additional data were compiled so that coal with carbon capture and storage (CCS) – a potentially key future technology – could be included. The results of the scenario analyses show that the cost of generating electricity is likely to increase and become more capital-intensive. However, the lower-carbon scenarios are also at least 87% less sensitive to fuel price volatility. Higher penetration of nuclear and renewables generally leads to better environmental performance and more employment, but creates unknown energy storage costs and, in the case of nuclear power and coal CCS, the production of long-lived waste places a burden of management and risk on future generations. Therefore, the choice of the ‘most sustainable’ electricity options now and in the future will depend crucially on the importance placed on different sustainability impacts; this should be acknowledged in future policy and decision making. A good compromise requires strategic government action; to provide guidance, specific recommendations are made for future government policy.

Un systeme original de pompage eolien est propose. Il est constitue d'une eolienne darrieus et d'une pompe solenoide. Dans la premiere partie, l'etude theorique se developpe autour de deux modeles aerodynamiques distincts selon la valeur du rapport de vitesse. L'etude experimentale s'est effectuee avec des machines d'architectures differentes. En particulier nous avons demontre et verifie qu'un rotor darrieus judicieusement concu demarre de lui meme et sous la seule action du vent. Dans la seconde partie, l'etude hydraulique s'est effectuee sur divers prototypes de pompes solenoides. Ces dernieres possedent une cylindree et ne contiennent aucun organe interne excepte les clapets anti-retour

Etude des contraintes et des deformees du rotor pour toute situation de fonctionnement optimal, suivant trois etapes de recherche: 1. Analyse de fabrication des pales d'aeolia 3 (forme troposkienne de construction, parametres geometriques, contraintes normales dues au procede de cintrage). 2. Analyse du comportement statique du rotor. 3. Analyse du comportement dynamique des pales en fonctionnement (y compris l'arret) avec determination des modes propres du rotor et des deformees modales. Deux methodes de calcul, toutes deux matricielles, ont ete etudiees selon les besoins en rapidite du calcul et de sa mise au point et selon les besoins de precision des resultats

Les énergies renouvelables représentent aujourd'hui un domaine de développement de plus en plus important, au vu de la consommation énergétique mondiale et de ses conséquences désastreuses sur l'environnement. Les différents accords politiques, notamment l'accord de Paris, ne peuvent à eux seuls apporter une solution définitive au changement climatique actuel. Les contraintes imposées par la réduction des émissions de CO_2 et l’augmentation du prix du pétrole dans l’industrie maritime ont poussé Yves Parlier à lancer le projet « beyond the sea » dans le but de développer des cerfs-volants (kites) dédiés à la propulsion auxiliaire des navires. L'objectif principal de cette étude est donc la modélisation et la commande robuste d'une aile de kite en vol dynamique. Le but à terme étant l'élaboration d'un pilote automatique dédié à la traction d'un navire par kite. Un modèle « point-masse » du kite est proposé afin de comprendre et contrôler sa dynamique. Les différents paramètres du modèle sont estimés à partir de données expérimentales obtenues lors d’essais en conditions réelles. Des simulations en boucle ouverte sont proposées afin de valider la cohérence du modèle. Pour effectuer un vol dynamique, une trajectoire en forme de huit est définie dans la fenêtre de vol. La position, la taille et l’orientation de cette trajectoire sont des paramètres ajustables par l’utilisateur. Un algorithme de suivi de trajectoire est développé permettant ensuite de synthétiser une loi de commande robuste intégrant le modèle du kite. Ce pilote automatique permet donc d’effectuer une grande variété de trajectoires pour toute une gamme de vitesses de vent. Enfin, des simulations en boucle fermée montrant les performances théoriques du système mettent en évidence l’intérêt de la propulsion auxiliaire des navires par kite
The need in reducing the CO_2 emissions and the increase of oil prices affect all transportation industries and especially the maritime industry. This has led to the search for more energy-saving ship propulsion systems. Taking advantage of wind energy by using tethered wings, or kites, as an alternative propulsion source can be an effective solution. The "beyond the sea" project, led by Yves Parlier, aims to provide ships an alternative green energy source. In most wind conditions, compared to a static flight, a dynamic motion of a tethered wing with an eight-shaped pattern can provide sufficient force through traction to tow a ship. Therefore, the main objective of this study is the modeling and robust control of a tethered kite in dynamic flight. To this end, a point mass model is first used to describe the kite dynamics. The model parameters are estimated from experimental data and the aerodynamic coefficients are identified using data from a quasi-static flight. Open loop simulations are conducted to verify the kite behavior and the overall coherence of the model. To ensure a dynamic flight, an eight-shaped trajectory is defined within the wind window. Its position, size, orientation and direction are all adjustable parameters. A path-following strategy is then developed in order to design a robust control law including the kite model. This allows the system to be used in different trajectories with a wide range of wind speeds. Closed-loop simulations are presented to show the efficiency of the path-following algorithm, and the various theoretical performances obtained shows the efficiency of a kite dedicated to vessels auxiliary propulsion

In this thesis work, electricty generation modeling of the wind energy -one type of the renewable energy sources- is studied. The wind energy characteristics and the distribution of wind speed in a specific region is also examined. In addition, the power curves of the wind turbines are introduced and the relationship between the wind speed and wind power is explained. The generation characteristics of the wind turbines from various types of producers are also investigated. In this study, the main wind power forecasting methods are presented and the advantages and disadvantages of the methods are analyzed. The physical approaches, statistical methods and the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) methods are introduced. The parameters that affect the capacity factor, the total energy generation and the payback period are examined. In addition, the wind turbine models and their effect on the total energy generation with different wind data from various sites are explained. As a part of this study, a MATLAB-based software about wind speed and energy modelling and payback period calculation has been developed. In order to simplify the calculation process, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) has been designed. In addition, a simple wind energy persistence model for wind power plant operator in the intra-day market has been developed.

High frequency data (HFD) of three site studies in different geographic locations were analyzed to reproduce the power spectrum illustrated by Van der Hoven in 1957. His work represents the basis of wind energy standards such as averaging and variability in the frequency domain. The results presented in this thesis unveil discrepancies with Van der Hoven’s approach. A major eddy-energy peak is illustrated at a period of 2 days and a smaller eddy-energy peak contribution at frequencies higher than the region known as the spectrum gap. The variance in the microscale region was calculated by integrating the Power Spectral Density (PSD) over the corresponding range of frequencies. The economic value of this energy variance based on the turbulence kinetic energy of the wind data set is calculated. It is also concluded that, given the results of the study, HFD analysis in the frequency domain uncovers eddy-energy peaks that determine energy fluctuations in the short and long terms. An algorithm was developed to detect delay times in the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and the energy dissipation rate ε on a continuous basis (thereby identifying the highest cross-correlation coefficients between them). The Kolmogorov turbulence order is applied to calculate the energy dissipation rate ε through the identification of the inertial subrange. The time scale in the variations of both parameters was successfully calculated and it is close to the time the air takes to circulate between the surface and the top of the atmosphere’s mixed layer. High correlation coefficients are found in the three site studies from 4am to 8am, and from 8pm to 12pm. The cross-correlation function also determines delay time scales in the range of 10-20 minutes and approximately 2 hours. The energy dissipation rate can be calculated to characterize wind variability in a particular site that might affect the performance of a wind turbine. With these results, more information is generated that can be used in the wind turbine’s control system routines to improve its response under wind turbulence variations.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Mechanical Engineering, Department of
Graduate

Recent years have seen the development of wind energy conversion systems that can exploit the superior wind resource that exists at altitudes above current wind turbine technology. One class of these systems incorporates a flying wing tethered to the ground which drives a winch at ground level. The wings often resemble sports kites, being composed of a combination of fabric and stiffening elements. Such wings are subject to load dependent deformation which makes them particularly difficult to model and control. Here we apply the techniques of evolutionary robotics i.e. evolution of neural network controllers using genetic algorithms, to the task of controlling a steerable kite. We introduce a multibody kite simulation that is used in an evolutionary process in which the kite is subject to deformation. We demonstrate how discrete time recurrent neural networks that are evolved to maximise line tension fly the kite in repeated looping trajectories similar to those seen using other methods. We show that these controllers are robust to limited environmental variation but show poor generalisation and occasional failure even after extended evolution. We show that continuous time recurrent neural networks (CTRNNs) can be evolved that are capable of flying appropriate repeated trajectories even when the length of the flying lines are changing. We also show that CTRNNs can be evolved that stabilise kites with a wide range of physical attributes at a given position in the sky, and systematically add noise to the simulated task in order to maximise the transferability of the behaviour to a real world system. We demonstrate how the difficulty of the task must be increased during the evolutionary process to deal with this extreme variability in small increments. We describe the development of a real world testing platform on which the evolved neurocontrollers can be tested.

There is an urgent need for economical, clean, sustainable energy supplies, not only in densely populated areas where electricity grids are appropriate, but also in rural areas where stand-alone power supply systems are often more suitable. Although electrical power supply is very versatile and convenient, it introduces unnecessary complexity for some off-grid applications where direct mechanical shaft power can conveniently be provided by a wind turbine. Wind energy is one of the more promising renewable energy sources. Most wind turbines are of the horizontal axis type, but vertical axis wind turbines or VAWTs have some advantages for direct mechanical drive applications. They need no tail or yaw mechanism to orient them into the wind and power is easily transmitted via a vertical shaft to a load at ground level. Blades may be of uniform section and untwisted, making them relatively easy to fabricate or extrude, unlike the blades of horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) which should be twisted and tapered for optimum performance. Savonius rotor VAWTs are simple and may have a place where the power requirement is only a few Watts, but they are inefficient and uneconomical for applications with larger power requirements. VAWTs based on the Darrieus rotor principle are potentially more efficient and more economical, but those with fixed pitch blades have hitherto been regarded as unsuitable for stand-alone use due to their lack of starting torque and low speed torque. This starting torque problem can be overcome by using variable pitch blades, but most existing variable pitch VAWTs, variously known as giromills or cycloturbines, need wind direction sensors, microprocessors and servomotors to control the blade pitch, making them impracticable for stand-alone, non-electrical applications. A simpler but less well known concept is passive or self-acting variable pitch in which the blades are free to pitch under the combined action of aerodynamic and inertial forces in such a way that a favourable blade angle of attack is maintained without the complexity of conventional variable pitch systems. Several fonns of self-acting variable pitch VAWTs or SAPVAWTs have been described in the literature, several patents exist for variants on the concept, and at least two companies world-wide have attempted to commercialise their designs. However the aerodynamic behaviour of these devices has been little understood and most designs appear to have been based on nothing more than a qualitative appreciation of the potential advantages of the concept. This thesis assesses the potential of both fixed and passive variable pitch vertical axis wind turbines to provide economical stand-alone power for direct mechanical drive applications. It is shown that the starting torque and low speed torque problems of VAWTs can be overcome either by passive variable pitch or by a combination of suitable blade aerofoil sections, either rigid or flexible, and transmissions which unload the rotor at low speeds so that high starting torque is not necessary. The work done for this thesis is made up of a sequence of stages, each following logically from the previous one: 1. Several tasks have been identified which could be performed effectively by a self-starting vertical axis wind turbine using direct mechanical drive. These include, a. pumping water, b. purifying and/or desalinating water by reverse osmosis, c. heating and cooling using vapour compression heat pumps, d. mixing and aerating water bodies and e. heating water by fluid turbulence. Thus it is apparent that such a system has the potential to make a useful contribution to society. 2. A literature survey of existing VAWT designs has been carried out to assess whether any are suitable for these applications. 3. As no suitable existing design was identified, an improved form of SAPVAWT has been developed and patented. 4. To optimise the performance of the improved SAPVAWT, a mathematical model has been developed in collaboration with Mr Leo Lazauskas of the University of Adelaide (see Kirke and Lazauskas, 1991, Lazauskas and Kirke, 1992). As far as the author of the present thesis is aware, this is the only existing mathematical model able to predict the performance of this particular type of SAPVAWT, and one of only two worldwide which model SAPVAWTs. 5. In order to use the mathematical model to predict the performance of a given SAPVAWT, it is necessary to have lift, drag and moment data for the aerofoil profile to be used, over a wide range of incidence and Reynolds numbers. A literature search has revealed large gaps in the existing data. 6. Wind tunnel testing has been carried out to assess the effect of camber on the performance of one set of NACA sections at low Reynolds number, and performance figures for other sections have been estimated by interpolation from existing data. 7. Using the assembled aerofoil data, both experimental and estimated, the mathematical model has been used to predict the performance of both fixed and variable pitch VAWTs. It has been found to predict correctly the performance of known fixed pitch VAWTs and has then been used to predict the performance of fixed pitch VAWTs with cambered blades using newly developed profiles that exhibit superior characteristics at low Reynolds numbers. Results indicate that fixed pitch VAWTs using these blade sections should self-start reliably. 8. To validate the mathematical model predictions for self-acting variable pitch, a two metre diameter physical model has been built and tested in a wind tunnel, and acceptable agreement has been obtained between predicted and measured performance. 9. To demonstrate the performance of a SAP VA WT under field conditions, a six metre diameter turbine has been designed, fabricated, erected and tested. 10. Because a prime mover such as a wind turbine is of no use unless it drives a toad, particular attention has been paid to the behaviour of complete systems, including the wind turbine, the transmission and the load. It is concluded that VAWTs with the improved self-starting and low speed torque characteristics described in this thesis have considerable potential in stand-alone, direct mechanical drive applications.

There is an urgent need for economical, clean, sustainable energy supplies, not only in densely populated areas where electricity grids are appropriate, but also in rural areas where stand-alone power supply systems are often more suitable. Although electrical power supply is very versatile and convenient, it introduces unnecessary complexity for some off-grid applications where direct mechanical shaft power can conveniently be provided by a wind turbine. Wind energy is one of the more promising renewable energy sources. Most wind turbines are of the horizontal axis type, but vertical axis wind turbines or VAWTs have some advantages for direct mechanical drive applications. They need no tail or yaw mechanism to orient them into the wind and power is easily transmitted via a vertical shaft to a load at ground level. Blades may be of uniform section and untwisted, making them relatively easy to fabricate or extrude, unlike the blades of horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) which should be twisted and tapered for optimum performance. Savonius rotor VAWTs are simple and may have a place where the power requirement is only a few Watts, but they are inefficient and uneconomical for applications with larger power requirements. VAWTs based on the Darrieus rotor principle are potentially more efficient and more economical, but those with fixed pitch blades have hitherto been regarded as unsuitable for stand-alone use due to their lack of starting torque and low speed torque. This starting torque problem can be overcome by using variable pitch blades, but most existing variable pitch VAWTs, variously known as giromills or cycloturbines, need wind direction sensors, microprocessors and servomotors to control the blade pitch, making them impracticable for stand-alone, non-electrical applications. A simpler but less well known concept is passive or self-acting variable pitch in which the blades are free to pitch under the combined action of aerodynamic and inertial forces in such a way that a favourable blade angle of attack is maintained without the complexity of conventional variable pitch systems. Several fonns of self-acting variable pitch VAWTs or SAPVAWTs have been described in the literature, several patents exist for variants on the concept, and at least two companies world-wide have attempted to commercialise their designs. However the aerodynamic behaviour of these devices has been little understood and most designs appear to have been based on nothing more than a qualitative appreciation of the potential advantages of the concept. This thesis assesses the potential of both fixed and passive variable pitch vertical axis wind turbines to provide economical stand-alone power for direct mechanical drive applications. It is shown that the starting torque and low speed torque problems of VAWTs can be overcome either by passive variable pitch or by a combination of suitable blade aerofoil sections, either rigid or flexible, and transmissions which unload the rotor at low speeds so that high starting torque is not necessary. The work done for this thesis is made up of a sequence of stages, each following logically from the previous one: 1. Several tasks have been identified which could be performed effectively by a self-starting vertical axis wind turbine using direct mechanical drive. These include, a. pumping water, b. purifying and/or desalinating water by reverse osmosis, c. heating and cooling using vapour compression heat pumps, d. mixing and aerating water bodies and e. heating water by fluid turbulence. Thus it is apparent that such a system has the potential to make a useful contribution to society. 2. A literature survey of existing VAWT designs has been carried out to assess whether any are suitable for these applications. 3. As no suitable existing design was identified, an improved form of SAPVAWT has been developed and patented. 4. To optimise the performance of the improved SAPVAWT, a mathematical model has been developed in collaboration with Mr Leo Lazauskas of the University of Adelaide (see Kirke and Lazauskas, 1991, Lazauskas and Kirke, 1992). As far as the author of the present thesis is aware, this is the only existing mathematical model able to predict the performance of this particular type of SAPVAWT, and one of only two worldwide which model SAPVAWTs. 5. In order to use the mathematical model to predict the performance of a given SAPVAWT, it is necessary to have lift, drag and moment data for the aerofoil profile to be used, over a wide range of incidence and Reynolds numbers. A literature search has revealed large gaps in the existing data. 6. Wind tunnel testing has been carried out to assess the effect of camber on the performance of one set of NACA sections at low Reynolds number, and performance figures for other sections have been estimated by interpolation from existing data. 7. Using the assembled aerofoil data, both experimental and estimated, the mathematical model has been used to predict the performance of both fixed and variable pitch VAWTs. It has been found to predict correctly the performance of known fixed pitch VAWTs and has then been used to predict the performance of fixed pitch VAWTs with cambered blades using newly developed profiles that exhibit superior characteristics at low Reynolds numbers. Results indicate that fixed pitch VAWTs using these blade sections should self-start reliably. 8. To validate the mathematical model predictions for self-acting variable pitch, a two metre diameter physical model has been built and tested in a wind tunnel, and acceptable agreement has been obtained between predicted and measured performance. 9. To demonstrate the performance of a SAP VA WT under field conditions, a six metre diameter turbine has been designed, fabricated, erected and tested. 10. Because a prime mover such as a wind turbine is of no use unless it drives a toad, particular attention has been paid to the behaviour of complete systems, including the wind turbine, the transmission and the load. It is concluded that VAWTs with the improved self-starting and low speed torque characteristics described in this thesis have considerable potential in stand-alone, direct mechanical drive applications.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Engineering
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
Full Text

Strength and reliability of wind blades produced from polymer composites are the important preconditions for the successful development of wind energy. One of the ways to increase the reliability and lifetime of polymer matrix composites is the nanoengineering of matrix or fiber / matrix interfaces in these composites. The potential and results of nanoclay reinforcements for the improvement of the mechanical properties of polymer composites are investigated using continuum mechanics and micromechanics methods and effective phase model. It is demonstrated that nanoreinforcement allows increasing the stiffness and strength of composites. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/35507

Sustainable energy solutions are aimed to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by using renewable energy sources and energy efficiency techniques. This thesis presents two new sustainable energy applications in the field of electrical machines.Polyphase induction motors dominate the energy usage spectrum for industrial and commercial applications. The conventional winding structure used in both synchronous and induction machines has a basic unit of the winding with a 60 degree phase belt and a three phase connection either in star or delta. A new winding structure using an innovative Star-Delta Series Connection (SDSC) which has a high winding coefficient and low harmonic content is presented in this thesis. The principle of the SDSC winding is described. The Electro-Magnetic Belt and Electro-Magnetic Space diagram are two important means to be used for optimization of the new winding. Experimental results from two prototypes confirm the theoretical analysis. The efficiency of the new machine at rated load increased by about 3.8% as compared to the standard machine with a conventional winding structure.Wind energy is one of the most attractive renewable energy options. Wind turbines are designed to couple either synchronous or asynchronous generators with various forms of direct or indirect connection with grid or diesel generators. Permanent magnet (PM) generators using high energy Neodymium- Iron-Boron magnets offer advantages such as direct coupling without gear box, absence of excitation winding and slip rings, light weight and smaller size. This thesis presents the design and development of an outer-rotor PM generator suitable for wind energy conversion. The initial electromagnetic design followed by a Finite Element Analysis is presented in detail. A 20 kW prototype machine was built and extensively tested. It was found that the machine could maintain an efficiency of about 85% for a wide operating range. Equivalent circuit models were developed. The results of the Finite Element analysis matches closely with the experimental and the designed values.

Increased consciousness of the environmental problems has aroused people’s interest of renewable energy systems, especially the application of green features in buildings. The demand for air conditioning / cooling in domestic and non-domestic buildings is rising throughout the world; this increases the reliance on conventional fuels and the global warming effect from greenhouse gas emissions. Passive cooling and energy efficient design can substantially reduce reliance on fuel based heating and cooling. Passive and Hybrid Downdraught Cooling, in different forms, is now technically viable in many parts of the world. This has been established through a combination of research projects. In some hot arid regions, a major part of the energy consumed consists of air-conditioning requirements. Alternative methods, using passive cooling techniques, can assist in reducing the conventional energy consumption in buildings. Evaporative cooling, which can be tracked back several hundreds of years in ancient Egypt and Persia [1–3], is one of the most effective strategies, because of the enormous latent heat needed for evaporation of water. Green features are architectural features used to mitigate migration of various air-borne pollutants and transmission of air from outside to indoor environment in an advantageous way [9]. The reduction of fossil fuel consumption and the associated decrease in greenhouse gas emissions are vital to combat global warming and this can be accomplished, in part, by the use of natural ventilation. To assess the performance of several innovative cooling systems devices and to develop improved models for more established technology, quantitative measurement of output was necessary. This was achieved in this study by the development of simply constructed low energy cooling systems which were calibrated by the innovative use of wind and water as a source. These devices were found to be consistent and accurate in measuring the temperature and cooling load from a number of devices. There were some problems in the original evaporative units. Therefore, a number of modifications have to be made to enhance the systems performance. The novel Windcatcher – PEC cooling system was assessed and different cooling loads were achieved.

Due to the rapid development of the power electronics in the second half of the twentieth century, a significant research effort has been put into the modelling of electrical machines to provide mathematical models for control purposes. As the power electronics isolate the machine from the grid, the number of phases on both sides no longer needs to be the same, thus allowing for use of multiphase machines. Several studies have shown that multiphase machines can yield lower torque ripple, provide higher torque per phase current, and that they can continue to operate with one or more faulty phases, thus increasing the robustness of the power stage. This, amongst other benefits, has led to increased interest in multiphase machine employment for critical applications, such as more-electric aircraft, electrical propulsion systems for ships and offshore wind, etc. Amongst the different multiphase machine constructions, the multiple three-phase winding structure with isolated neutral points is of special interest. It can be operated using multiple three-phase converters, so that almost no modification of hardware is needed. Furthermore, with high power machines (above the 5 MW class), several converters in parallel should be used when increased availability is desired. This is where multiple three-phase winding machines show an additional benefit, galvanic isolation between the windings. By connecting one three-phase converter to each of the three-phase windings of the machine, the increased availability of paralleling converters is obtained while the problem of the circulating current between paralleled converters is practically eliminated thanks to said galvanic isolation. The control schemes of three-phase machines should not be directly applied to multiple three-phase winding machines, since these show internal cross couplings between the different three-phase windings that may affect dynamic performance. To examine the behaviour and design control schemes for multiple three-phase winding machines, modelling approaches based on vector space decomposition, multiple dq modelling approach and a novel approach, specifically developed in this thesis for the independent power flow control in individual three-phase windings, are studied. It is demonstrated that, by including appropriate decoupling terms in the traditional three-phase control structure, a completely decoupled operation can be obtained in all the three-phase windings in the machine when control scheme is based on the multiple dq modelling approach. With this control approach, the control of these machines is accomplished using control structures and model transformations familiar to those skilled in the art of the three-phase machines. For six-phase machines the existing transformations are sufficient for all control purposes, while the novel transformation becomes a useful tool when there are three or more three-phase windings. The influence of a low switching to fundamental frequency ratio on behaviour of the controlled object is also covered in this work. This has a great impact on the modelling of current control loops, especially when using the synchronously rotating reference frame in variable fundamental frequency applications, such as motor drives. The precise modelling of the actual control loops is of vital importance since it allows development of faithful control tuning techniques. With these, the regulator parameters, which ensure certain specified dynamic performance of the loops, are obtained and their behaviour can be precisely described and predicted by simulations. The machine’s parameter identification has also been approached in this work; accurate parameter knowledge is of essential importance to ensure the correct match between experimental and simulation results. All the experimental work has been done using a 150 kW permanent magnet synchronous generator in six-phase configuration with two three-phase winding placed spatially in phase. Unequal power sharing between different three-phase windings is studied further, including the simultaneous operation of one winding in motoring and the other in generation for a six-phase machine. This particular mode of operation has been found as very useful in development of a novel testing method for the machines with multiple three-phase windings, of synthetic loading type, which is fully verified by experimentation. A corresponding theoretical/simulation work has been performed for a nine-phase (triple three-phase) machine.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de NÃvel Superior
The wind resource assessment is a key step in the development of wind power generation projects. Minimizing errors in this step brings significant reliability gains for the whole project. In this study we sought a reduction in the errors associated with the adjustment of the Weibull distribution with respect to data collected by an improvement of this setting. With this purpose, it was applied the optimization algorithm of Harmonic Search (HS) to find the Weibull distribution parameters with the best fit. The HS was used to find the Weibull distribution parameters for two sets of data from the Sistema de OrganizaÃÃo de Dados Ambientais (SONDA) of the cities of Petrolina-PE and SÃo Martinho da Serra-RS. The parameters of the HS were selected by two methods, one being a result of the novel combination of two other already presented in the literature. We therefore compared the errors for each one to determine which method provides better optimization. For evaluating the quality setting, the root mean square error (RMSE) and the correlation coefficient were used. The HS-PA method uses a selection of random parameters but, results showed more stable than the IHS. It was found for the IHS method one RMSE = 0.006418 for Petrolina and RMSE = 0.008303 for SÃo Martinho da Serra. The HS-PA method presented a RMSE = 0.006419 for Petrolina and RMSE = 0.008303 for SÃo Martinho da Serra. The RMSE values for the traditional methods applied to the same data set, there were two or more times greater than those found by employing the Harmonic search.
A anÃlise de recurso eÃlico à uma etapa fundamental no desenvolvimento de projetos de geraÃÃo de energia eÃlica. A minimizaÃÃo dos erros nesta etapa traz ganhos significativos de confiabilidade para o projeto como um todo. Neste trabalho foi buscada uma diminuiÃÃo dos erros associados ao ajuste da distribuiÃÃo de Weibull em relaÃÃo aos dados coletados atravÃs de uma melhora deste ajuste. Visando tal intento, foi aplicado o algoritmo de otimizaÃÃo da Busca HarmÃnica (HS) para encontrar os parÃmetros da distribuiÃÃo de Weibull com o melhor ajuste. A HS foi utilizada para encontrar os parÃmetros da distribuiÃÃo de Weibull para dois conjuntos de dados provenientes do Sistema de OrganizaÃÃo de Dados ambientais (SONDA) das cidades de Petrolina-PE e SÃo Martinho da Serra-RS. Os parÃmetros da HS foram selecionados atravÃs de duas metodologias, sendo uma delas inovadora por resultar da combinaÃÃo de outras duas jà apresentadas anteriormente em literatura. Foram, portanto, comparados os erros referentes a cada uma para determinar qual mÃtodo fornecia uma melhor otimizaÃÃo. Para a avaliaÃÃo da qualidade do ajuste, foram utilizados o erro mÃdio quadrÃtico (RMSE) e o coeficiente de correlaÃÃo. O mÃtodo HS-PA, embora utilize uma seleÃÃo de parÃmetros aleatÃria, apresentou resultados mais estÃveis do que o IHS. Foi encontrado para o mÃtodo IHS um RMSE = 0,006418 para Petrolina e RMSE = 0,008303 para SÃo Martinho da Serra. O mÃtodo HS-PA apresentou um RMSE = 0,006419 para Petrolina e RMSE = 0,008303 para SÃo Martinho da Serra. Os valores de RMSE para os mÃtodos tradicionais aplicados ao mesmo conjunto de dados, foram duas ou mais vezes maiores do que os encontrados, empregando a Busca HarmÃnica.

The problem of predicting weather variables, such as solar radiation and wind speed, is of great interest for integrating renewable energies plants, into the electric grid. Indeed, since renewable energy sources are intermittent in nature, predicting future values is important to allow the grid to dispatching generators, in order to satisfy the demand. There are essentially two ways to address the issue of weather variables prediction. One is by using Numerical Weather Forecasting (NWF) models, which are reliable, but also quite complex and requires real time information, usually available from Meteorological Agencies only. Furthermore, very powerful computers are required to solve the differential equations involved. The other kinds of methods are represented by the so-called statistical modeling approaches, which are based on the use of past data recorded at the site of interest. These latter kinds of methods, compared to the former ones, require less computational efforts, but are appropriate only for short time horizons. This PhD Thesis was devoted to study short-term prediction models for solar radiation and wind speed time series and assessing their performance in the range [1, 24] hours. It was also studied the predictability of the daily average values, which for obvious reasons, is much more difficult than that of predicting the hourly averages. To mitigate, as far as possible, the difficulties, the prediction was reformulated in terms of a classification problem. In such a way, instead of predicting 1-day ahead the average value, the target was to predict the class. In this framework, of course, the prediction is as far difficult as large is the number of considered classes. Thus accuracy of 1-day ahead prediction models of the wind speed class was studied, for various frameworks.

Sustainable energy solutions are aimed to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by using renewable energy sources and energy efficiency techniques. This thesis presents two new sustainable energy applications in the field of electrical machines.Polyphase induction motors dominate the energy usage spectrum for industrial and commercial applications. The conventional winding structure used in both synchronous and induction machines has a basic unit of the winding with a 60 degree phase belt and a three phase connection either in star or delta. A new winding structure using an innovative Star-Delta Series Connection (SDSC) which has a high winding coefficient and low harmonic content is presented in this thesis. The principle of the SDSC winding is described. The Electro-Magnetic Belt and Electro-Magnetic Space diagram are two important means to be used for optimization of the new winding. Experimental results from two prototypes confirm the theoretical analysis. The efficiency of the new machine at rated load increased by about 3.8% as compared to the standard machine with a conventional winding structure.Wind energy is one of the most attractive renewable energy options. Wind turbines are designed to couple either synchronous or asynchronous generators with various forms of direct or indirect connection with grid or diesel generators. Permanent magnet (PM) generators using high energy Neodymium- Iron-Boron magnets offer advantages such as direct coupling without gear box, absence of excitation winding and slip rings, light weight and smaller size. This thesis presents the design and development of an outer-rotor PM generator suitable for wind energy conversion. The initial electromagnetic design followed by a Finite Element Analysis is presented in detail. A 20 kW prototype machine was built and extensively tested. It was found that the machine could maintain an ++
efficiency of about 85% for a wide operating range. Equivalent circuit models were developed. The results of the Finite Element analysis matches closely with the experimental and the designed values.

As wind energy penetration levels increase, there is a growing interest in using storage devices to aid in managing the fluctuations in wind turbine output power. Vanadium-Redox batteries (VRB) and Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries are two emerging technologies which can provide power smoothing in wind energy systems. However, there is an apparent gap when it comes to the data available regarding the design, integration and operation of these batteries in wind systems. This thesis presents suitable battery electrical models which will be used to assess system performance in wind energy applications, including efficiency under various operating conditions, transfer characteristics and transient operation. A design, sizing and testing methodology for battery integration in converter based systems is presented. Recommendations for the development of operating strategies are then provided based on the obtained results.

Wind generation has become the most important alternate energy source and has experienced increased growth in Europe during the past decade while more recently, the same trends have been exhibited in North America. Although it has great potential as an alternative to less environmentally friendly energy sources, there are various technical challenges that cause wind to be regarded negatively by many utilities. Others are hesitant to accept its widespread implementation, particularly when the penetration of wind in a given area is high.
This work presents the addition of an energy storage system to a wind turbine design.
Various advantages are exhibited for the wind turbine with energy storage. Firstly, the generator is capable of accurately controlling the output power of the generator and inevitably of the wind park. Reactive power requirements are also reduced as a result of a more stable voltage at the point of interconnection. In addition, improved transient performance is exhibited for various local disturbances.

In several areas around the world, clean water is a precious asset that at anytime, and mainly due to circumstances of weather and climate, can become scarce. Mainly in the dry and remote places, people suffer with lack of water. A solution for this suffering can be a water desalination system, which makes water potable and usable for industry. That solution inherently, brings the problem of power requirement, which is sometimes arduous to accomplish in such remote areas of difficult access and long distances to overcome to build the infrastructure required to operate an electric power plant. Texas and the USA also face this scenario for many regions, for which the government has been creating some programs and driving forward incentives, looking for solutions to support water desalination. Water desalination has future applications for municipalities water-consuming or for arid and remote regions, as well as for industries that rely on heavy water usage, such as natural gas drilling operations, for which millions of gallons are trucked overland to the site and also hauled away afterwards, when the waste water produced must be treated. This thesis created the concept of autonomy for water desalination plants replacing the actual power supply from fossil fuel to a renewable source from wind or sun, giving capacity to them to produce its own electricity to operate as an autonomous unit, as demonstrated in the business case done for the Brownsville water desalination facility.

La promotion de l’énergie éolienne comme une alternative viable et compétitive aux sources traditionnelles est dépendant du développement des techniques de modélisation avancées qui vont diminuer à la fois le coût de l’énergie et l’incertitude reliée à son évaluation. D’une importance particulière dans cet effort est l’amélioration des outils d’évaluation de la production des projets éoliens. Bien que des modèles linéarisés ont dominé ce domaine dans le passé, les modèles basés sur les équations de Navier–Stokes moyennées (RANS) sont de plus en plus populaires, surtout pour les sites difficiles où les effets de topographie et de sillage sont importants et se mélangent. Cependant, même si la modélisation RANS est implicitement plus appropriée pour les écoulements complexes que ses dérivés d’ordre inférieur, des améliorations sont nécessaires pour l’adapter aux besoins du secteur et améliorer la précision. Avec cela à l’esprit, cette thèse vise à apporter des améliorations fondamentales en ce qui concerne l’utilisation de modèles basés sur les équations RANS pour la simulation des écoulements atmosphériques et en sillage d’une éolienne. Malgré l’utilisation courante des équations RANS avec le modèle k−ε comme fermeture pour les simulations en couche limite atmosphérique, des défis subsistent dans la mise en oeuvre de cette approche – même pour le cas le plus simple impliquant des conditions homogènes. Plus particulièrement, les distributions d’énergie cinétique turbulente et son taux de dissipation se sont révélées difficiles à maintenir à proximité des frontières solides, ce qui est surtout problématique quand les maillages à proximité de la paroi sont relativement grossiers. Dans la première étude de cette thèse, l’origine de ces erreurs est investigué et il est démontré qu’en appliquant des schémas de discrétisation appropriées et les conditions aux frontières de Richards et Hoxey, des profils invariants de toutes les propriétés d’écoulement peuvent être obtenus sur de tels maillages. En outre, grâce à ce travail, un traitement de paroi pour les maillages pratiques est proposé qui peut être appliqué aux conditions non-homogènes. La deuxième étude se concentre sur la modélisation physique des écoulements atmosphériques. Le modèle k−ε modifié de Apsley et Castro pour la couche limite atmosphérique est revisité avec une attention particulière à ses prédictions dans la couche limite de surface où le cisaillement est constant. Ces auteurs ont proposé une modification à l’équation de ε (qui détermine l’échelle de longueur des mouvements turbulents) afin d’imposer une limite sur la longueur de mélange en respectant toutefois la similitude près de la paroi. Cependant, des simulations de la couche limite de surface avec cette fermeture peuvent donner des profils de vitesse, longueur de mélange, et taux de dissipation de turbulence qui ne coïncident pas avec les solutions analytiques. Compte tenu de cela, une équation de ε générique est dérivée en termes d’une distribution de la longueur de mélange arbitraire qui assure la concordance exacte avec les solutions analytiques correspondantes pour des conditions de stratification thermique neutre ainsi que stable. De ce résultat, une nouvelle expression pour le coefficient de fermeture Cε3 peut être déduite démontrant que ce coefficient n’est constant que pour des valeurs extremes de z/L (où z est la distance du sol et L est la longueur de Monin-Obukhov). En fait, Cε3 varie d’un facteur de deux entre les limites de z/L→0 et z/L→∞. La modélisation du sillage d’une éolienne a aussi un rôle important à jouer dans l’évaluation d’un projet éolien. Ces modèles doivent être assez précis – afin de minimiser les risques financiers – et pourtant économique de telle sorte que de nombreuses configurations peuvent être évaluées dans un délai raisonnable. Tandis que plusieurs modèles de ce genre ont été déjà proposés, une approche particulièrement intéressante est basée sur la solution des équations RANS avec une fermeture à deux équations et où l’action du rotor est modelisée par un disque actuateur. La validité d’une telle approche et ses limitations inhérentes reste toutefois à être pleinement comprises. Dans la dernière étude, des mesures détaillées en soufflerie dans le sillage d’un disque poreux (avec les mêmes propriétés aérodynamiques d’une éolienne) immergé dans un écoulement uniforme sont comparées avec les prévisions de plusieurs fermetures, y compris une nouvelle proposition. L’accord avec les mesures est jugé excellent pour tous les modèles. Ce résultat inattendu semble provenir d’une différence fondamentale dans la nature turbulente de l’écoulement en soufflerie et celle de la couche limite atmosphérique. De plus, ce résultat suggère que la plus grande source d’incertitude dans la modélisation de la turbulence reste dans le terme de production et conduit à une discussion sur les exigences de similarité pour des essais en soufflerie.