No description available.

This project accomplished two correlated goals of designing a new rotor blade to be used with the Cal Poly Wind Power Research Center, as well as defining the methodology required for the aerodynamic analysis of an optimized blade, the procedure required for generation of an accurate CAD model for the new blade geometry, and structural integrity verification procedure for the new blade via finite element analysis under several operating scenarios. The new rotor blades were designed to perform at peak efficiency at a much lower wind speed than the current CPWPRC rotor blades and incorporated a FEA verification process which was not performed on the earlier rotor blade design. Since the wind characteristics relative to the location of the CPWPRC are essentially unchanging the most viable option, in regards to generating power for longer periods of time, is to redesign the HAWT rotor to capture more of the wind energy available. To achieve this, the swept area of the rotor was increased, suitable airfoils were utilized, and the new rotor blades were optimized to maximize their performance under the CPWPRC location’s wind conditions. With an increased magnitude of wind energy being captured the aerodynamic loading on the rotor blades simultaneously increased which necessitated a structural analysis step to be implemented, both with classical hand calculations and with the assistance of an adequate FEA program, to ensure the new rotor blades did not fail under normal or extreme wind conditions. With the completion of this project the new rotor blade designed and analyzed in this report may be finalized and refined in order to be incorporated into the CPWPRC system in the future or the methodology defined throughout this project may be used to design an entirely different aerodynamically optimized rotor blade, including a CAD model and FEA structural integrity verification, as well.

No description available.

<div>This dissertation presents a strategy that incorporates nature and bio-inspired shapes to redesign turbine airfoils and stator-rotor rim seal cavity.</div><div><br></div><div>The first objective consists of the development of tools to optimize the turbine velocity triangles and then the 3D shape using 75 parameters. Design trends that minimize loss in the stator and rotor were discussed. The second objective expands on the first by incorporating wavy structures at the leading and trailing edges as well as the suction side mimicking design features of seal whiskers and tubercles of a whale. The airfoils were optimized to maximize the efficiency of a highly loaded high-pressure turbine at positive incidence.</div><div><br></div><div>The last objective addressed the design of the cavity to reduce cooling massflow and protect the turbine platform. A novel strategy was proposed to assess and optimize the shape of the cavity. In an attempt to simply the problem and identify the main physical phenomena, a slice of the flow was examined by considering a purely a 2D case in the relative frame of reference. This simplification enabled the cavity to be optimized in 2D using a geometry inspired by the meandering of rivers. The optimization produced designs that reduce the heat flux in the rear rotor platform and are less sensitive towards variations in gap and cavity total pressure. The methodology was demonstrated in 3D rotating cavity and later in a full turbine stage configuration. The strategy and design tools developed in this dissertation seek to provide understanding of the effects of bio-inspired shapes on turbine blades and lay the foundation for future experimental research into cavity flows.<br></div>

Francis type turbines are commonly used in hydropower generation. Main components of the turbine are spiral case, stay vanes, guide vanes, turbine runner and the draft tube. The dimensions of these parts are dependent mainly on the design discharge, head and the speed of the rotor of the generators. In this study, a methodology is developed for parametric optimization by incorporating Matlab codes developed and commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes into the design process. The design process starts with the selection of initial dimensions from experience curves, iterates to improve the overall hydraulic efficiency and obtain the detailed description of the final geometry for manufacturing with complete visualization of the computed flow field. A Francis turbine designed by the procedure developed has been manufactured and installed for energy production.

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.

This diploma thesis deals with design of low-emission combustion chamber, which burns natural gas. The type of the combustion chamber is CAN with six combustion chambers with parallel flow and mixer. A swirler is used like stabilizer. The first part of the thesis describes combustion chambers. Next part is about calculation of circuit of combustion turbine, where combustion chamber is, distribution of air flow and design of main dimensions of combustion chamber. Technical documentation and tables of coefficients are in the attachment.

One of the early steps in axial turbine design is the use of one-dimensional (1D) mean line calculations to predict the turbine performance and estimate the principal geometric parameters, such as radius and blade heights, that will be needed in further computational fluid dynamic (CFD) studies. This 1D analysis is based on the estimation of the aerodynamic losses expressed as a function of simple blade parameters and the velocity triangles. In this regard, there exist different loss correlations widely used in literature to estimate these losses but at the same time there is a lack of information regarding differentiation between them. Thereafter, the objective in this work was to judge and compare the behaviors of the Kacker- Okapuu, Craig-Cox and Denton loss correlations, all of them widely-used in turbine performance prediction. Present work shows the implementation of these different loss correlations on an existing 1D mean line numerical tool, LUAX-T. Subsequently, once implemented, the correlations were compared and analyzed by the use of a validation process and performing a parametric study. The results show that similar key parameters such as the flow turning, solidity and aspect ratio rule the different loss mechanisms in each correlation. On the other hand, the parametric study shows that the correlations are in agreement with the theory and give similar trends for performance prediction even though they all predict different values of efficiency for the same turbine stage. Moreover, the validation process show the correlations were found to be accurate enough when comparing against two different sets of experimental data. However, it was also proved that the models are only accurate if used within the range of applicability they were developed for, hence a complete knowledge of the limitations of each correlation should be known prior to using them. Finally, the extension of the one-dimensional mean line numerical tool LUAX-T will serve to perform further studies related to turbine design, as there are very few non-confidential turbomachinery design tools available for teaching or researching. Furthermore, a parametric study tool was also developed as part of the program. This last extension and the loss implementation codes are described in this work.

This study presents the design and optimization of a test rig tailored for upcoming wind turbine design applications. Initial decisions were made regarding component selection, focusing on a gearbox, electric motor, and motor controller. Requirements included continuous power output of 300 kW from the electric motor and the gearbox's ability to handle specified torque and reduce input speed to match the structural limitations. Key challenges revolved around gearbox design and performance, necessitating a right-angle configuration for converting horizontal to vertical torque efficiently. To meet the rotational speed requirements, a 30 to 1 ratio gearbox was selected, ensuring compatibility with the maximum structural rotational speed of 50 revolutions per minute. The electric motor, pivotal in the drivetrain, was chosen based on a balance between economic viability and rotational speed, resulting in a four-pole motor configuration. Coupling mechanisms were employed to connect the motor and gearbox, facilitating energy transfer between shafts. A motor controller was integrated to regulate current flow, voltage application, and frequency modulation, enhancing operational control and adaptability to specific requirements. Radial ball bearings were selected to minimize energy expenditure during rotation, particularly due to downward compressive forces. The test rig setup, situated indoors on a concrete floor, mandated a metal plate foundation to ease component attachment without drilling into the floor. Data simulations were conducted to determine bolt specifications capable of withstanding motor-induced forces. Furthermore, collaboration with industry experts facilitated component selection and quotation analysis, ensuring an optimized drivetrain solution meeting both technical and economic criteria. This research contributes to the advancement of wind turbine design testing methodologies, providing insights into component selection, integration, and optimization for enhanced performance and reliability.

The present time demands emission-free and carbon-free sources of energy. This fact is not only subject of international agreements and European Union regulations, but also the state of environment points out to an essential change in energy generation of mankind. Tidal stream provides very stable and predictable source of “green” energy. Compared to other renewable energy sources tidal stream turbines in exceptional localities are able to supply energy continuously, making them base load source. The aim of the thesis was to create an extensive document with recent tidal stream power information, which has not been available in Czech language yet. Last part of the research is focused on co-locating tidal stream and off-shore wind turbines. Second part of the thesis is dedicated to aerodynamic design of single-stage horizontal axis tidal stream turbine with rated electric power of 1 MW. Calculation according to the blade cascade theory was used to design blade geometry and to find rotor diameter of 14 meters for rated stream velocity of 3.05 m/s.