This thesis investigates novel methodologies for modelling, simulation and control of gas turbines using ANNs. In the field of modelling and simulation, two different types of gas turbines are modelled and simulated using both Simulink and neural network based models. Simulated and operational data sets are employed to demonstrate the capability of neural networks in capturing complex nonlinear dynamics of gas turbines. For ANN-based modelling, the application of both static (MLP) and dynamic (NARX) networks are explored. Simulink and NARX models are set up to explore both steady-state and transient behaviours. To develop an offline ANN-based system identification methodology for a low-power gas turbine, comprehensive computer program code including 18720 different ANN structures is generated and run in MATLAB to create and train different ANN models with feedforward multi-layer perceptron (MLP) structure. The results demonstrate that the ANN-based method can be applied accurately and reliably for the system identification of gas turbines. In this study, Simulink and NARX models are created and validated using experimental data sets to explore transient behaviour of a heavy-duty industrial power plant gas turbine (IPGT). The results show that both Simulink and NARX models successfully capture dynamics of the system. However, NARX approach can model gas turbine behaviour with a higher accuracy compared to Simulink approach. Besides, a separate complex model of the start-up operation of the same IPGT is built and verified by using NARX models. The models are set up and verified on the basis of measured time-series data sets. It is observed that NARX models have the potential to simulate start-up operation and to predict dynamic behaviour of gas turbines. In the area of control system design, a conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and neural network based controllers consisting of ANN-based model predictive (MPC) and feedback linearization (NARMA-L2) controllers are designed and employed to control rotational speed of a gas turbine. The related parameters for all controllers are tuned and set up according to the requirements of the controllers design. It is demonstrated that neural network based controllers (in this case NARMA-L2) can perform even better than conventional controllers. The settling time, rise time and maximum overshoot for the response of NARMA-L2 is less than the corresponding factors for the conventional PID controller. It also follows the input changes more accurately than the PID. Overall, it is concluded from this thesis that in spite of all the controversial issues regarding using artificial neural networks for industrial applications, they have a high and strong potential to be considered as a reliable alternative to the conventional modelling, simulation and control methodologies. The models developed in this thesis can be used offline for design and manufacturing purposes or online on sites for condition monitoring, fault detection and trouble shooting of gas turbines.

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Increase in urbanization and industrialization around the world in recent years has led to a consequent rise in energy demand. In recent years it has been reported that approximately 75% of generated power is consumed in cities. It also worth to mention that about 50% energy consumption in U.S is in building sector which 41.7% is for operating buildings. With the global energy demand in 2040 being expected to be about 30% higher than that of 2010. For this reasons, an urgent need for the incorporation of alternative energy as well as energy efficiency measures has to be incorporated in urban planning and construction. Until now, two main approaches that have been integrated into large scale wind energy in urban settings are either locating wind energy farm in the periphery of the urban areas or integration of wind energy systems into the building design. It was observed that the installation of wind turbines in order to meet 10–15% of global energy demand might cause surface warming by increasing the temperature by 1 °C on land. Moreover, there some issues that can be considered as a disadvantage for large wind turbines. For Instance: noise production, the social aesthetic acceptability, negative impact on birds, the cost of maintenance, transportation, sufficient infrastructure and etc. In contrast to large-scale wind turbines, small wind turbines are much simpler and exploitation of building. In high-rise buildings, the heights and onsite energy generation imply an absence of big towers required to capture high wind speeds and minimum transmission losses, as well as a contribution to the configuration of zero-energy buildings. On the other hand, to improve safety and serviceability of super-tall buildings in strong winds, aerodynamic optimization of building shapes is considered to be the most efficient approach. Aerodynamic optimization is aimed at increasing the structural resistance against winds. The idea of generating wind power in high rise buildings is experienced in some constructions that the further study reveals the cons and pros about them. The Pearl River Tower, which is one of the latest and successful building in this type, considered as the case study for this research. The research proposing the distributed opening as an effective modification to improve the aerodynamic behavior of the high rise buildings and devising the micro-turbine within the penetration for wind energy generating. The CFD simulation shows the improvement in coefficient drag factor in the proposal design option and the wind tunnel test reveals better aerodynamic performance as well. The conclusion shows better performance for wind harvesting and wind energy generating beside reducing the structural weight that would be needed in comparison to the original building. On the other hand, the proposal design shows more lift forces on the building and the other challenging issue would be maintenance the higher number of the small turbine. The further study will be needed to controlling the vibration and noise level inside the wind ducts and optimizing the wind penetration pattern on the building façade.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering / Donald Fenton / Combustion turbine performance deterioration, quantified by loss of system power, is an artifact of increased inlet air temperature and continuous degradation of the machine. Furthermore, the combustion turbine operator has to meet ever changing stricter emission levels. Different technologies exist to mitigate the impact of performance loss and meeting the emission standard. However an upgrade using one or more of the available technologies has associated capital and operating costs. Thus, there is a need for a tool that can evaluate power boosting and emission control technologies in concert with the machine maintenance strategy. This dissertation provides the turbine operator with a new and novel tool to examine each of the upgrades and determine its suitability both from the cost and technical stand point. The main contribution of this dissertation is a tool-kit called the Combustion Turbine Operation and Optimization Model (CTOOM) that can evaluate both power-boosting and emission control technologies. It also includes a machine maintenance model to account for degradation recovery. The tool-kit is made up a system level thermodynamic optimization solver (CTOOM-OPTIMIZE) and two one-dimensional, mean-line, aero-thermodynamic component level solvers for the compressor (CTOOMCOMP1DPERF) and the turbine (CTOOMTURB1DPERF) sections. In this work, the cogeneration system as given by the classical CGAM problem was used for system level optimization. The cost function was modified to include the cost of emissions while the maintenance cost of the combustion turbine was separated from the capital cost to include a degradation recovery model. Steam injection was evaluated for NO[subscript]x abatement, power boosting was examined by both the use of inlet air cooling and steam injection, and online washing was used for degradation recovery. Based on the cost coefficients used, it was seen that including the cost of emissions impact resulted in a significant increase in the operational cost. The outcomes of the component level solvers were compressor and turbine performance maps. It was demonstrated that these maps could be used to integrate the components with the system level information.

The dynamic motion of floating wind turbines is studied using numerical simulations. Floating wind turbines in the deep ocean avoid many of the concerns with land-based wind turbines while allowing access to strong stable winds. The full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are solved on a regular structured grid, using a level set method for the free surface and an immersed boundary method for the turbine platform. The tethers, the tower, the nacelle and the rotor weight are included using reduced order dynamic models, resulting in an efficient numerical approach which can handle nearly all the nonlinear wave forces on the platform, while imposing no limitation on the platform motion. Wind is modeled as a constant thrust force and rotor gyroscopic effects are accounted for. Other aerodynamic loadings and aero-elastic effects are not considered. Several tests, including comparison with other numerical, experimental and grid study tests, have been done to validate and verify the numerical approach. Also for further validation, a 100:1 scale model Tension Leg Platform (TLP) floating wind turbine has been simulated and the results are compared with water flume experiments conducted by our research group. The model has been extended to full scale systems and the response of the tension leg and spar buoy floating wind turbines has been studied. The tension leg platform response to different amplitude waves is examined and for large waves a nonlinear trend is seen. The nonlinearity limits the motion and shows that the linear assumption will lead to over prediction of the TLP response. Studying the flow field behind the TLP for moderate amplitude waves shows vortices during the transient response of the platform but not at the steady state, probably due to the small Keulegan-Carpenter number. The effects of changing the platform shape are considered and finally the nonlinear response of the platform to a large amplitude wave leading to slacking of the tethers is simulated. For the spar buoy floating wind turbine, the response to regular periodic waves is studied first. Then, the model is extended to irregular waves to study the interaction of the buoy with more realistic sea state. The results are presented for a harsh condition, in which waves over 17 m are generated, and linear models might not be accurate enough. The results are studied in both time and frequency domain without relying on any experimental data or linear assumption. Finally a design study has been conducted on the spar buoy platform to study the effects of tethers position, tethers stiffness, and platform aspect ratio, on the response of the floating wind turbine. It is shown that higher aspect ratio platforms generally lead to lower mean pitch and surge responses, but it may also lead to nonlinear trend in standard deviation in pitch and heave, and that the tether attachment points design near the platform center of gravity generally leads to a more stable platform in comparison with attachment points near the tank top or bottom of the platform.

The effects of surface curvature and slope-of-curvature on the performance of aerofoils used in small wind turbines are studied experimentally and numerically. A symmetric aerofoil NACA0012 and an asymmetric aerofoil E387 are judiciously selected as an example of an aerofoil with a surface curvature discontinuity and an example of an aerofoil with slope-of-curvature discontinuities respectively. The prescribed surface curvature distribution blade design (CIRCLE) method is applied to both aerofoils to remove the curvature and slope-ofcurvature discontinuities. The newly designed aerofoils have continuous curvature and slope-of-curvature distributions and have nearly identical geometry compared to the original aerofoils, denoted as QM13F and A7. Low-speed wind tunnel experiments, together with two numerical methods, are conducted to aerofoil E387 and A7 to investigate the effects of slope-of-curvature. The slope-of-curvature discontinuities of E387 result in a larger LSB, which causes higher drag at low angles of attack, and result in premature LSB bursting process at higher angles of attack, causing earlier stall. The impact of the slope-ofcurvature distribution on aerodynamic performance is more profound at higher angles of attack and lower Reynolds number. The aerodynamic improvements are estimated over a 3 kW small HAWT, resulting in up to 10% increase in instantaneous power and 1.6% increase in annual energy production. In terms of the effects of surface curvature, the curvature discontinuity at the leading edge affects aerofoil lift and drag performance near the stalling angle in the steady flow, and it is estimated in a 5 kW small VAWT that the power coefficient can be increased by 9.7% by removing the curvature discontinuity. Acoustic experimental measurements were performed on aerofoil E387 and A7 in an anechoic wind tunnel to investigate effects of slope-of-curvature on aerofoil acoustic performance. The in-house CFD code Cgles was modified to perform large eddy simulation (LES) the 3D aerofoil sections to further investigate the experimental phenomenon. The tonal noise of E387 at different angles of attack is reduced by removing slope-of-curvature discontinuities. It is experimentally and numerically concluded that continuous curvature and slope-of-curvature distributions can result in better aerodynamic performance of the aerofoil used in small wind turbines, leading to lower aerofoil self-noise and higher energy output efficiency.