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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Tests of an overrunning clutch in a wind turbine

An overrunning clutch that slipped freely under reverse torque was tested in the drive train of the Mod-0 wind turbine. In low variable wind conditions, the clutch engaged and disengaged smoothly without perturbation or oscillations. The clutch permitted the generator to be connected to the line using a relay instead of an automatic synchronizer. The alternator was connected to the line when the rpm reached 95% of synchronous speed and it motored to synchronous speed in about 0.15 seconds with a momentary power spike of 50 kW. The performance of the clutch was the same with and without the fluid coupling. The ideal power with the clutch was 5 to 7 kW compared to up to 50 kW without the clutch. The overrunning clutch merits consideration in future wind turbine designs as a means of simplifying the control system, increasing energy capture, and increasing the life of blades and electrical switch gear.

Seidel, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Robust, Flexible and Lightweight Dielectric Barrier Discharge Actuators Using Nanofoams/Aerogels

Robust, flexible, lightweight, low profile enhanced performance dielectric barrier discharge actuators (plasma actuators) based on aerogels/nanofoams with controlled pore size and size distribution as well as pore shape. The plasma actuators offer high body force as well as high force to weight ratios (thrust density). The flexibility and mechanical robustness of the actuators allows them to be shaped to conform to the surface to which they are applied. Carbon nanotube (CNT) based electrodes serve to further decrease the weight and profile of the actuators while maintaining flexibility while insulating nano-inclusions in the matrix enable tailoring of the mechanical properties. Such actuators are required for flow control in aeronautics and moving machinery such as wind turbines, noise abatement in landing gear and rotary wing aircraft and other applications.

Sauti, Godfrey↗
NASA NTRS1978

The application of hydraulics in the 2,000 kW wind turbine generator

A 2000 kW turbine generator using hydraulic power in two of its control systems is being built under the management of NASA Lewis Research Center. The hydraulic systems providing the control torques and forces for the yaw and blade pitch control systems are discussed. The yaw-drive-system hydraulic supply provides the power for positioning the nacelle so that the rotary axis is kept in line with the direction of the prevailing wind, as well as pressure to the yaw and high speed shaft brakes. The pitch-change-mechanism hydraulic system provides the actuation to the pitch change mechanism and permits feathering of the blades during an emergency situation. It operates in conjunction with the overall windmill computer system, with the feather control permitting slewing control flow to pass from the servo valve to the actuators without restriction.

Onufreiczuk, S.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Wind farm structural response and wake dynamics for an evolving stable boundary layer: computational and experimental comparisons

Abstract. The wind turbine design process requires performing thousands of simulations for a wide range of inflow and control conditions, which necessitates computationally efficient yet time-accurate models, especially when considering wind farm settings. To this end, FAST.Farm is a dynamic-wake-meandering-based mid-fidelity engineering tool developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory targeted at accurately and efficiently predicting wind turbine power production and structural loading in wind farm settings, including wake interactions between turbines. This work is an extension of a study that addressed constructing a diurnal cycle evolution based on experimental data (Quon, 2024). Here, this inflow is used to validate the turbine structural and wake-meandering response between experimental data, FAST.Farm simulation results, and high-fidelity large-eddy simulation results from the coupled Simulator fOr Wind Farm Applications (SOWFA)–OpenFAST tool. The validation occurs within the nocturnal stable boundary layer when corresponding meteorological and turbine data are available. To this end, we compared the load results from FAST.Farm and SOWFA–OpenFAST to multi-turbine measurements from a subset of a full-scale wind farm. Computational predictions of blade-root and tower-base bending loads are compared to 10 min statistics of strain gauge measurements during 3.5 h of the evolving stable boundary layer, generally with good agreement. This time period coincided with an active wake-steering campaign of an upstream turbine, resulting in time-varying yaw positions of all turbines. Wake meandering was also compared between the computational solutions, generally with excellent agreement. Simulations were based on a high-fidelity precursor constructed from inflow measurements and using state-of-the-art mesoscale-to-microscale coupling.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1977

ERDA/NASA 100 kilowatt mod-o wind turbine operations and performance

The ERDA/NASA 100 kW Mod-0 wind turbine is operating at the NASA Plum Brook Station near Sandusky, Ohio. The operation of the wind turbine has been fully demonstrated and includes start-up, synchronization to the utility network, blade pitch control for control of power and speed, and shut-down. Also, fully automatic operation has been demonstrated by use of a remote control panel, 50 miles from the site, similar to what a utility dispatcher might use. The operation systems and experience with the wind turbine loads, electrical power and aerodynamic performance obtained from testing are described.

Thomas, R. L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Artificial Intelligence-Aided Wind Plant Optimization for Nationwide Evaluation of Land Use and Economic Benefits of Wake Steering

If clean energy pathways are to harness massive increases in wind power, innovations with broad geographic viability will be needed to support buildout in diverse locations. However, geodiversity in impact potential is seldom captured in technology assessment. Here we propose a scalable approach to plant-level optimization using artificial intelligence to evaluate land sparing and economic benefits of wake steering at more than 6,800 plausible onshore wind locations in the USA. This emerging controls strategy optimizes plant energy production by directing turbine wakes. On the basis of estimates from our artificial intelligence model trained on engineering wind flow simulations, co-optimizing plant layouts with wake steering can reduce land requirements by an average of 18% per plant (site-specific benefits range from 2% to 34%), subject to errors and uncertainties in the flow model, wind resource estimates, buildout scenario and geographic factors. According to model estimates, wake steering is predicted to increase power production during high-value (relatively low wind) periods, boosting the annual revenue of individual plants by up to US$3.7 million (equivalent to US$13,000 MW-1 yr-1) but producing negligible gains in some settings. Consideration of wake steering’s geographic potential reveals divergent nationwide prospects for improved economics and siting flexibility.

deployment↗
DOE OSTI2021

Mechanisms of Dynamic Near-Wake Modulation of a Utility-Scale Wind Turbine

The current study uses large eddy simulations to investigate the transient response of a utility-scale wind turbine wake to dynamic changes in atmospheric and operational conditions, as observed in previous field-scale measurements. Most wind turbine wake investigations assume quasi-steady conditions, but real wind turbines operate in a highly stochastic atmosphere, and their operation (e.g. blade pitch, yaw angle) changes constantly in response. Furthermore, dynamic control strategies have been recently proposed to optimize wind farm power generation and longevity. Therefore, improved understanding of dynamic wake behaviours is essential. First, changes in blade pitch are investigated and the wake expansion response is found to display hysteresis as a result of flow inertia. The time scales of the wake response to different pitch rates are quantified. Next, changes in wind direction with different time scales are explored. Under short time scales, the wake deflection is in the opposite direction of that observed under quasi-steady conditions. Finally, yaw changes are implemented at different rates, and the maximum inverse wake deflection and time scale are quantified, showing a clear dependence on yaw rate. To gain further physical understanding of the mechanism behind the inverse wake deflection, the streamwise vorticity in different parts of the wake is quantified. The results of this study provide guidance for the design of advanced wake flow control algorithms. The lag in wake response observed for both blade pitch and yaw changes shows that proposed dynamic control strategies must implement turbine operational changes with a time scale of the order of the rotor time scale or slower.

flow-structure interactions↗
DOE OSTI2025

Land-Based Wind Reference Architecture

This report describes a summary and the final deliverables for the Wind Reference Architecture project funded by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Wind Energy Technology Office (WETO). The project objective was to further refine the reference architecture of the existing wind power plant reference architecture developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) by expanding the wind turbine generator (WTG) into a separate individual wind turbine reference architecture. Additional details regarding the wind turbine system and how it integrates with a wind power plant were researched and reflected in the reference architecture. This addition is important because it allows researchers to understand the components and devices in a wind turbine, how they function and how a wind turbine integrates into a wind power plant to be able to perform cybersecurity evaluations on the system. The communication and control systems were the focus while developing this reference architecture to understand the cybersecurity posture of a wind turbine and power plant. The information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems perspective are integral in helping improve the cybersecurity posture by creating a starting point to study how wind energy can be safely designed and deployed in our power grid from an integrated systems standpoint. A holistic wind power plant and turbine reference architecture and simulation was developed and made open-sourced for further research efforts.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Wind power costs driven by innovation and experience with further reductions on the horizon

The costs of wind power have declined to levels on par with or below those of conventional sources in many parts of the world. Wind power has become one of the fastest-growing sources of new electricity generation. We take stock of wind power cost evolution over the past 20 years, review methodologies commonly used for cost assessment, discuss the potential for continued cost reduction, and identify anticipated cost and value drivers. Our scope includes both onshore and offshore wind technologies. We draw from a vast body of literature on these topics to highlight key trends, approaches, and limitations. Furthermore, we discuss strategies for wind power assets to enhance their marginal economic value to the broader power system and consumers. We identify a myriad of factors that are expected to influence the future cost and value of wind power, including siting, project scale, turbine size, operational synergies, commodity prices, advancements in turbine technologies, enhanced management of the wind resource, and novel control technologies that provide value for the electricity grid. Because the common methods for forecasting future costs each have their own strengths and weaknesses, we find the best insights are elicited from a combination of methods. Overall, researchers and analysts anticipate further sizable cost reductions for onshore and offshore wind. Midrange forecasts for levelized cost of energy in 2050 are generally between $20 and $30/MWh for onshore wind and $40 and $60/MWh for offshore wind, a reduction to approximately half of today's levels. Optimistic forecasts anticipate these levels as early as 2030.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

3D printable polymeric lightning strike protection system for fiber reinforced composites

The current embodiments include all-polymeric protective material for mitigating lightning strike damage. The protective material includes a hybrid matrix comprising PANI and MXene dispersed within a thermosetting epoxy resin. This hybrid matrix can be painted, printed, or applied as a conductive polymeric layer to a FRCP structure, for example an aircraft fuselage, wing, empennage, control surface (aileron, flap, slats, rudder, elevator) or a wind turbine blade. The protective material not only withstands lightning strikes, but also functions as shielding against electromagnetic interference and is corrosion-resistant and lightweight.

Kumar, Vipin↗
DOE OSTI2022

Towards multi-fidelity deep learning of wind turbine wakes

We report engineering wake models that accurately predict wake in a computationally efficient manner are very important for tasks such as layout optimization and control of wind farms. In this paper, we explore an application of deep learning (DL) to learn the wake model from hierarchies of physics-based approaches ranging from analytical models to an approximate form of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. We first illustrate the application of principal component analysis to obtain a lower-dimensional representation that allows a computationally tractable training and deployment of DL models. Then, the DL model is trained to learn the mapping from input parameter space to the principal components, which are then used to reconstruct the three-dimensional flow field. Additionally, we investigate a composite framework consisting of two neural networks to learn the correlation between low- and high-fidelity data with Gauss and curl models treated as proxies for low- and high-fidelity models, respectively. The prediction from both DL models matches well with the high-fidelity data with a maximum relative percentage error for the kinetic energy flux of <1%. This work opens up possibilities for data-efficient construction of surrogate models for wake prediction that can be used to study the influence of wind speed and yaw angles on wind farm power production.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Review of wake management techniques for wind turbines

Summary The progression of wind turbine technology has led to wind turbines being incredibly optimized machines often approaching their theoretical maximum production capabilities. When placed together in arrays to make wind farms, however, they are subject to wake interference that greatly reduces downstream turbines' power production, increases structural loading and maintenance, reduces their lifetimes, and ultimately increases the levelized cost of energy. Development of techniques to manage wakes and operate larger and larger arrays of turbines more efficiently is now a crucial field of research. Herein, four wake management techniques in various states of development are reviewed. These include axial induction control, wake steering, the latter two combined, and active wake control. Each of these is reviewed in terms of its control strategies and use for power maximization, load reduction, and ancillary services. By evaluating existing research, several directions for future research are suggested.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2009

Structural Dynamic Behavior of Wind Turbines

The structural dynamicist s areas of responsibility require interaction with most other members of the wind turbine project team. These responsibilities are to predict structural loads and deflections that will occur over the lifetime of the machine, ensure favorable dynamic responses through appropriate design and operational procedures, evaluate potential design improvements for their impact on dynamic loads and stability, and correlate load and control test data with design predictions. Load prediction has been a major concern in wind turbine designs to date, and it is perhaps the single most important task faced by the structural dynamics engineer. However, even if we were able to predict all loads perfectly, this in itself would not lead to an economic system. Reduction of dynamic loads, not merely a "design to loads" policy, is required to achieve a cost-effective design. The two processes of load prediction and structural design are highly interactive: loads and deflections must be known before designers and stress analysts can perform structural sizing, which in turn influences the loads through changes in stiffness and mass. Structural design identifies "hot spots" (local areas of high stress) that would benefit most from dynamic load alleviation. Convergence of this cycle leads to a turbine structure that is neither under-designed (which may result in structural failure), nor over-designed (which will lead to excessive weight and cost).

Thresher, Robert W.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Rapid approach for structural design of the tower and monopile for a series of 25 MW offshore turbines

The goal of further reducing the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) has driven the investigation of large-scale wind turbines. This work presents a simple, rapid and detailed approach for the structural design of the tower and monopile without a controller, but with frequency and high fidelity structural verification. The approach uses an optimization to reduce the mass of the structures while meeting strength, buckling and geometric constraints by using analytical equations. A verification of frequency constraints is performed with BModes, and ANSYS Mechanical APDL is used for high fidelity verification of stress and buckling. The approach is applied to study the design space of three 25 MW offshore wind turbines with different rotor diameters and cone angles, and to evaluate the nacelle center of mass fore-aft location effect. Results obtained show that the tower and monopile are more susceptible to changes in the rotor thrust than the overturning moment even for designs with high pre-cone angle and large distance of the nacelle center of mass from the tower axis. But it is possible to obtain structurally feasible tower and monopile designs for the three 25 MW turbines studied while not exceeding diameter and wall thickness limits. However, mass penalties can be decreased by 0.8-14%, to further reduce the cost of energy, by increasing the diameter limit which may require manufacturing technology development. The approach applied and studies serve to understand the design space of the tower and monopile for a 25 MW turbine, and provide baseline designs that can be used in the development of a controller and evaluation of a full suite of design load cases.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Prognosis of Wind Turbine Gearbox Bearing Failures Using SCADA and Modeled Data

Predictive maintenance and condition monitoring systems for wind turbines have seen increased adoption to minimize downtime, reducing operation and maintenance costs. On today’s wind power plants, the integrated supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system provides low- frequency operational data that can be leveraged to quantify a wind turbine’s health. The aim of this study is to utilize machine-learning techniques to predict axial cracking failures in wind turbine gearbox bearings up to 1 month ahead of time. The failures are assumed to have occurred when the investigated bearing was replaced. While current SCADA systems show the overall condition of a wind turbine, often they do not allow for the investigation of specific gearbox bearings’ health. To enrich bearing fault signatures, additional data are computed through physics-based models using gearbox design information. Based on SCADA data, modeled data, and bearing failure log data from an actual wind plant, the performances of different machine-learning models on unseen data are then evaluated using industry-standard metrics such as precision, recall, and F1 score. Results show the overall system performance enhancement in predicting bearing failure when modeled data are included with SCADA data. The reduction in terms of false alarms is about 50%, and improvement in terms of precision and F1 score is about 33% and 12% respectively, based on the best modeling case in this study.

49 EE - Wind and Water Power Program - Wind (EE-4W↗
DOE OSTI2019

A Comparison of Classical and Aggregation-Based Algebraic Multigrid Preconditioners for High-Fidelity Simulation of Wind Turbine Incompressible Flows

This paper presents a comparison of parallel strong scaling performance of classical and aggregation algebraic multigrid (AMG) preconditioners in the context of wind turbine simulations. Fluid motion is governed by the incompressible Navier--Stokes equations, discretized in space with control-volume finite elements and in time with an inexact projection scheme using an implicit integrator. A discontinuous-Galerkin sliding-mesh algorithm captures rotor motion. The momentum equations are solved with iterative Krylov methods, preconditioned by symmetric Gauss--Seidel (SGS) in Trilinos and $\ell_1$ SGS in hypre. The mass-continuity equation is solved with GMRES preconditioned by AMG and can account for the majority of simulation time. Reducing this continuity solve time is crucial. Wind turbine simulations present two unique challenges for AMG preconditioned solvers: the computational meshes include strongly anisotropic elements, and mesh motion requires matrix reinitialization and computation of preconditioners at each time step. Detailed timing profiles are presented and analyzed, and best practices are discussed for both classical and aggregation-based AMG. Results are presented for simulations of two different wind turbines with up to 6 billion grid points on two different computer architectures. For moving mesh problems that require linear-system reinitialization, the well-established strategy of amortizing preconditioner setup costs over a large number of time steps to reduce the solve time is no longer valid. Instead, results show that faster time to solution is achieved by reducing preconditioner setup costs at the expense of linear-system solve costs. Standard smoothed aggregation with Chebyshev relaxation was found to perform poorly when compared with classical AMG in terms of solve time and robustness. However, plain aggregation was comparable to classical AMG.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Inter-Area Oscillation Damping with Type-5 Wind Power Plant: Preprint

This paper investigates the potential of using brushless excitation (BLE) for not only riding through the fault but also to damp inter-area power oscillation with the help of a synchronous generator (SG) used in Type 5 Wind Power Plant (WPP). In BLE, an auxiliary synchronous generator (ASG) behaving like an exciter is coupled and driven by the rotor of the main SG. The BLE's field current's ASG is fed by two separate loops of the automatic voltage regulator (AVR) and Power System Stabilizer (PSS). The AVR system implements a control loop to regulate the generator terminal voltage, VT. For the PSS, the kinetic energy of the wind turbine is utilized according to the estimated rotational speed of the synchronous generator shaft of the SG. It mitigates the necessity of any curtailment of active power for damping. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is verified with a three-phase short circuit fault in a two-area power system.

brushless↗