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Technical University of Munich

Modeling, Control and Design of Wind Energy Systems

Credits:

5 ECTS

Instructor:

Carlo L. Bottasso, Abhinav Anand, Robert Braunbehrens

Course Syllabus:

The course offers a broad introduction to the engineering principles underlying the operation of wind turbines, as well as their design. The course is organized in the following five main modules:

  • Introduction: introduction to wind energy, and overview of wind energy systems and wind turbines; the wind resource and its characteristics; anatomy of a modern wind turbine; wind turbine components; electrical aspects.
  • Wind turbine aerodynamics: overview of rotor aerodynamics; one-dimensional momentum theory and Betz limit; wake swirl; airfoils; blade element momentum theory, dynamic inflow; unsteady corrections, blade tip and hub losses, dynamic stall, stall delay and three-dimensional effects; deterministic and stochastic wind models.
  • Dynamics and aeroservoelasticity: rigid and elastic flapping and lagging blade; the rotor as a filter, aerodynamic damping, flutter, limit cycle oscillations; loads; stability analysis; aeroservoelastic models of wind turbines; aeroservohydroelastic models for off-shore applications.
  • Wind turbine control: overview and architecture of wind turbine control systems; on-board sensors; supervisory control; regulation strategies; trimmers, load-reducing control, dampers; load and wind observers.
  • Wind turbine design: overview of design criteria and certification guidelines; aerodynamic design; structural design; design and choice of sub-systems and components.  

Learning Outcomes:

After successfully completing the course, students will have an understanding of the physical processes underlying the energy conversion process from wind. They will have a solid basic knowledge of wind turbine aerodynamics and structural dynamics, and they will understand the main strategies used for controlling these machines over their complete operating range. A specific goal of the course is to provide students with a multidisciplinary vision on the physics of wind energy systems, and an understanding of the methods used for their modeling and simulation. A particular emphasis will be placed on design, and on the effects of design choices on the cost of energy.

Learning Activities:

  • Lectures, computer exercises
  • Independent work  

Course Material:

Course material will be provided by the instructor.

Additional recommended literature:

  • T. Burton, N. Jenkins, D. Sharpe, E. Bossanyi, Wind Energy Handbook, Wiley, 2011.
  • J. F. Manwell, J.G. McGowan, A.L. Rogers, Wind Energy Explained, Theory, Design and Application, Wiley, 2012.
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