Influence of cost of energy models on wind turbine rotor design

Abstract

Consulta en la Biblioteca ETSI Industriales (Riunet)

[EN] Wind turbine design aims at the minimization of the cost of energy. This research analyses the influence of the CoE models in those activities. Two CoE models are studied: the one formulated by NREL in 2006 [1] and the more recent one developed by the INNWIND consortium in 2014 [2]. The INNWIND is found to be more adequate for large offshore machines. Two high fidelity blade cost models are as well analysed: the one developed by the SANDIA National Laboratories in 2013 [3] and an industrial one. Both realize that a pure relation between blade mass and blade cost is likely to be not accurate enough. The four cost models are combined, producing a new CoE model. The CoE models analysis is followed by the rotor size optimization of a 10MW wind turbine. The proposed CoE model is established as the driving figure of the optimization tool Cp-Max. By an increase in rotor size, the simulations return a larger initial investment but also higher AEP. The combination results in a reduction of CoE by 4.0%. Moreover, according to the aerostructural definition, a wide region around optimal configuration is found to produce almost the same CoE. To conclude the work, a genetic optimization algorithm is applied to the rotor definition. A linear Pareto front in terms of AEP and blade mass is exhibited.