Efficient extraction of wind energy is a complex, multidisciplinary process. This paper examines common objectives used in wind turbine optimization problems. The focus is not on the specific optimized designs, but rather on understanding when certain objectives and constraints are necessary, and what their limitations are. Maximizing annual energy production, or even using sequential aero/structural optimization, is shown to be significantly suboptimal compared to using integrated aero/structural metrics. Minimizing the ratio of turbine mass to annual energy production can be effective for fixed rotor diameter designs, as long as the tower mass is estimated carefully. For variable-diameter designs, the predicted optimal diameter may be misleading. This is because the mass of the tower is a large fraction of the total turbine mass, but the cost of the tower is a much smaller fraction of overall turbine costs. Minimizing the cost of energy is a much better metric, though high fidelity in the cost modeling is as important as high fidelity in the physics modeling. Furthermore, deterministic cost of energy minimization can be inadequate, given the stochastic nature of the wind and various uncertainties associated with physical processes and model choices. Optimization in the presence of uncertainty is necessary to create robust turbine designs.
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e-mail: andrew.ning@nrel.gov
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November 2014
Research-Article
Objectives and Constraints for Wind Turbine Optimization
S. Andrew Ning,
e-mail: andrew.ning@nrel.gov
S. Andrew Ning
1
National Wind Technology Center
,15013 Denver West Parkway
,Golden, CO 80401
e-mail: andrew.ning@nrel.gov
1Corresponding author.
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Rick Damiani,
Rick Damiani
National Wind Technology Center
,15013 Denver West Parkway
,Golden, CO 80401
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Patrick J. Moriarty
Patrick J. Moriarty
National Wind Technology Center
,15013 Denver West Parkway
,Golden, CO 80401
Search for other works by this author on:
S. Andrew Ning
National Wind Technology Center
,15013 Denver West Parkway
,Golden, CO 80401
e-mail: andrew.ning@nrel.gov
Rick Damiani
National Wind Technology Center
,15013 Denver West Parkway
,Golden, CO 80401
Patrick J. Moriarty
National Wind Technology Center
,15013 Denver West Parkway
,Golden, CO 80401
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGYAND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received March 21, 2013; final manuscript received April 9, 2014; published online June 3, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Yves Gagnon.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Nov 2014, 136(4): 041010 (12 pages)
Published Online: June 3, 2014
Article history
Received:
March 21, 2013
Revision Received:
April 9, 2014
Citation
Andrew Ning, S., Damiani, R., and Moriarty, P. J. (June 3, 2014). "Objectives and Constraints for Wind Turbine Optimization." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. November 2014; 136(4): 041010. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4027693
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