Yes / Social acceptance for wind turbines is variable, providing a challenge to the implementation of this energy source. Psychological research could contribute to the science of climate change. Here we focus on the emotional responses to the visual impact of wind turbines on the landscape, a factor which dominates attitudes towards this technology. Participants in the laboratory viewed images of turbines and other constructions (churches, pylons and power-plants) against rural scenes, and provided psychophysiological and self-report measures of their emotional reactions. We hypothesised that the emotional response to wind turbines would be more negative and intense than to control objects, and that this difference would be accentuated for turbine opponents. As predicted, the psychophysiological response to turbines was stronger than the response to churches, but did not differ from that of other industrial constructions. In contrast with predictions, turbines were rated as less aversive and more calming compared with other industrial constructions, and equivalent to churches. Supporters and non-supporters did not differ significantly from each other. We discuss how a methodology using photo manipulations and emotional self-assessments can help estimate the emotional reaction to the visual impact on the landscape at the planning stage for new wind turbine applications. / This work was partly funded by an ESRC First Grant RES-061-25-0512 to DT

The acoustic treatment and calibration of a new anechoic system for the Virginia Tech Stability Wind Tunnel has been performed. This novel design utilizes Kevlar cloth to provide a stable flow boundary, which eliminates the need for a free jet and jet catcher. To test this concept a series of measurements were performed both to validate the reduction in overall test section noise levels and to ascertain the effect of these modifications on the test section aerodynamics. An extensive program of experiments has been conducted to examine the performance of this new hardware under a range of conditions. These include baseline experiments that reveal the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic performance of the tunnel in its original configuration, treatment of the tunnel circuit with validation of in-flow noise reduction, wind tunnel tests to examine the effect of the test section acoustic treatment, and measurements of the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of a NACA 0012 airfoil model over a range of angles of attack and Reynolds numbers. These measurements show that acoustically treating the walls of the circuit both upstream and downstream of the test section, as well as the fan, result in an overall reduction of 5 dB depending on frequency, of the in-flow noise level. These measurements also show that the complete system provides a reduction of between 15 to 20dB depending on frequency, in the in-flow background noise level. Measurements taken both within the test section and in the adjacent chambers also show that large Kevlar windows can be used to quietly and stably contain the flow, eliminating the need for an open-jet and jet catcher system, as well as overall noise levels competitive with many other facilities. Measurements on several airfoils at various angles of attack and Reynolds number show that the interference correction for the fully anechoic configuration is approximately -22% for model with a chord length equal to half the test section height. Aerodynamic measurements with the NACA 0012 airfoil show its lift, drag and boundary layer characteristics at high Reynolds numbers are consistent with theoretical expectations. Measurements of the window deflection as well as examination of flow transpiration through the Kevlar windows were accomplished, both with and without the NACA 0012 model. These measurements, along with the interference correction data, confirm that the Kevlar windows are a stable flow boundary. / Master of Science

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this project is to study the structural design and costing of various designs of tall wind turbine towers and the associated foundations in a South African context. Speci c design guidelines are proposed for the design of tubular steel, concrete and concrete-steel hybrid towers and foundations for hub heights of 80, 100 and 120m. Additionally, a conclusion will be made as to whether the concrete and hybrid towers are a viable alternative to steel towers at higher hub heights. To accomplish this, three of each type of tower (steel concrete and hybrid) and their foundations were designed according to the relevant design standards. The designs were then veri ed using the Abaqus nite element software. The costs of the designs for a South African environment were subsequently calculated according to the increases in material cost, as a function of the increase in hub height. It was found that for the chosen design assumptions, the foundations for the concrete and hybrid towers are less material intensive, and therefore cheaper, than the steel towers. The material costs of the concrete and hybrid towers were also shown to be lower than the material costs of the steel towers, especially at hub heights of 100 to 120m. For the circumstances in this project, it was found that an increase in hub height causes an increase in energy generation of 3.52 and 6.28 percent for 80m to 100m and 80m to 120m hub heights, respectively. It is therefore deduced that, given the trends in the design and cost associated with increasing hub heights, the concrete and hybrid towers become viable alternatives to the conventional steel towers at hub heights of 100 to 120m in height. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie projek is om die strukturele ontwerp en koste van verskillende soorte ho e wind turbines en die toepaslike fondamente vir 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te bestudeer. Spesi eke riglyne word voorgestel vir die ontwerp van silindervormige staal, beton en beton-staal hibriede torings en fondamente vir naafhoogte van 80, 100 en 120m. 'n Gevolgtrekking oor die lewensvatbaarheid van die beton en hibriede torings, in vergelyking met die gewone staal torings teen naafhoogte van 100 tot 120m sal ook gemaak word. Met die bogenoemde as doel, is drie van elke tipe toring (staal, beton en hibried) en hul fondamente volgens die toepaslike standaarde ontwerp. Daarna is die integriteit van die ontwerpe getoets en bevestig deur gebruik van die Abaqus eindige-element-metode sagteware. Ten slotte, die kostes van die ontwerpe vir 'n Suid Afrikaanse omgewing is bereken en die verandering in materiaalkoste uitgedruk as 'n funksie van die verhoging in naafhoogte. Daar is gevind dat, vir die aannames in die ontwerp, die fondamente van die beton en hybrid torings minder materiaal benodig, en dus goedkoper is as die staal torings. Verder, is die materiaalkoste van die beton en hibriede torings laer as die van die staal torings, veral vir naafhoogtes van 100 tot 120m. Verder, is daar vir die omstandighede in hierdie projek gevind dat ho er naafhoogtes stygings in energie-opwekking van 3.52 persent vir naafhoogte stygings van 80m tot 100m, en stygings van 6.28 persent vir naafhoogte stygings van 80m tot 120m lewer. Daar word dus tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat, gegewe die tendense in die ontwerp en materiaal koste wat verband hou met die verhoging van die naafhoogte, die beton en hibriede torings 'n lewensvatbare alternatief vir die konvensionele staal torings vir naafhoogtes van 100 tot 120m word.

This research focuses on studying the feasibility of placing large wind turbines on deep-ocean platforms. Water tank studies have been conducted using the facilities at Alden Research Laboratories (ARL) on 100:1 scale Tension Leg Platform (TLP) and Spar Buoy (SB) models. Froude scaling was used for modeling the offshore wind turbine designs. Primary components of the platform turbine, tower, and cable attachments were fabricated in ABS plastic using rapid prototyping. A wireless data acquisition system was installed to prevent umbilical data cables from affecting the behavior of the platform when exposed to wave loading. In Phase I testing, Froude-scaled TLP and Spar Buoy models at a 100:1 scale were placed in a water flume and exposed to periodic waves at amplitudes ranging from 0.5 cm - 7.5 cm and frequencies ranging from 0.25 Hz - 1.5 Hz. The testing was conducted on simple tower and turbine models that only accounted for turbine weight at the nacelle. In Phase II testing, emphasis was placed on further testing of the tension leg platform as a more viable design for floating offshore wind turbines. The tension leg platform scale model was improved by adding a disc to simulate drag force incident at the top of the tower, as well as a rotor and blades to simulate the gyroscopic force due to turbine blade rotation at the top of the tower. Periodic wave motions of known amplitude and frequency were imposed on the model to study pitch, heave, roll, surge, sway motions and mooring cable tensions (in Phase II only) using accelerometers, inclinometers, capacitance wave gage, and load cells. Signal analysis and filtering techniques were used to refine the obtained data, and a Fourier analysis was conducted to study the dominant frequencies. Finally, Response Amplitude Operators (RAO's) were plotted for each data set to standardize the results and study the overall trend with respect to changes in wave amplitude and frequency. For Phase I testing, it is shown that surge motion of the platform dominates other motions for both the tension leg platform and spar buoy, and varying tether pretension has little effect on response amplitude operator values. For phase II testing, it was found that the introduction of thrust and gyroscopic forces increases sway and pitch motions as well as upstream tether forces. Coupling effects of pitch motion with roll and sway due to the presence of gyroscopic forces were also seen. The present experimental results can be used to validate the hydrodynamic kernels of linear frequency-domain models, time-domain dynamics models, and computational simulations on floating wind turbines. Numerical analysis and simulations have been conducted in a separate study at WPI. These simulations are comparable to the experimental results.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 L58 / Master of Science

Στην διπλωματική εργασία που ακολουθεί, παρουσιάζεται η προσομοίωση και μελέτη ενός υβριδικού συστήματος διανεμημένης παραγωγής. Το σύστημα που εξετάζεται είναι ένα υβριδικό σύστημα ηλεκτροπαραγωγής που αποτελείται από μία ανεμογεννήτρια, μια φωτοβολταϊκή συστοιχία και μία γεννήτρια diesel. Για τη προσομοίωση του συστήματος χρησιμοποιείται το πρόγραμμα σχεδίασης και προσομοίωσης ηλεκτρικών συστημάτων PSCAD. Η εργασία επικεντρώνεται στη δομή και λειτουργία του συστήματος τόσο στην μόνιμη κατάσταση λειτουργίας όσο και στη συμπεριφορά του συστήματος σε διάφορα μεταβατικά φαινόμενα. Τα μεταβατικά φαινόμενα που εξετάζονται είναι τα εξής: • Μείωση προσπίπτουσας ακτινοβολίας σε φωτοβολταϊκη συστοιχία • Αποσύνδεση Ανεμογεννήτριας από το δίκτυο • Τριφασικό βραχυκύκλωμα ως προς την γή στον ζυγό της γεννήτριας diesel • Απότομη αύξηση του φορτίου Στο 1ο Κεφάλαιο, γίνεται μια αναφορά στα υβριδικά συστήματα παραγωγής ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας, στα συστήματα κατανεμημένης παραγωγής, στις δομές τους και στις ανανεώσιμες πηγές ενέργειας. Επίσης αναφέρονται μερικές εφαρμογές τους. Στο 2ο Κεφάλαιο, περιγράφονται ξεχωριστά τα στοιχεία παραγωγής ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας καθώς και τα υπόλοιπα στοιχεία του υβριδικού συστήματος διανεμημένης παραγωγής που απαρτίζουν την εργασία. Ταυτόχρονα παρουσιάζονται και αναλύονται οι μαθηματικές σχέσεις σύμφωνα με τις οποίες λειτουργεί το σύστημα. Στο 3ο Κεφάλαιο, εισερχόμαστε στο περιβάλλον του προγράμματος μοντελοποίησης PSCAD, παρουσιάζεται και περιγράφεται η δομή και τα στοιχεία που αποτελούν το υβριδικό δίκτυο ηλεκτροπαραγωγής, ενώ γίνεται και αναφορά στις προδιαγραφές που πρέπει να τηρούνται από το σύστημα διανεμημένης παραγωγής. Στο 4ο Κεφάλαιο, παρατηρείται η συμπεριφορά ολόκληρου του συστήματος στην μόνιμη κατάσταση λειτουργίας καθώς και των επιμέρους υποσυστημάτων. Στο 5ο Κεφάλαιο, εξετάζεται η συμπεριφορά ολόκληρου του συστήματος καθώς και των επιμέρους υποσυστημάτων στις διαταραχές που έχουμε περιγράψει παραπάνω. Στο 6ο Κεφάλαιο και τελευταίο, καταλήγουμε σε συμπεράσματα τα οποία προέκυψαν από την μελέτη του υβριδικού συστήματος που παρουσιάστηκε. / The thesis that follows, presents the simulation and design of a hybrid distributed system of electrical power generation. The system presented, consists of a wind turbine, a photovoltaic array and a diesel generator. For the system simulation we use the drawing and simulation of electrical systems program, PSCAD. The project focuses on the structure and operation of the system both at steady -permanent state and in system behavior in various transient situations. The transients considered are the following: • Reduction in incident solar radiation into array • Wind Turbine disconnection from the network • Three-phase short circuit as for ground under the rule of the diesel generator • Sharp load increase In 1st chapter, there is a reference to hybrid power generation systems, distributed generation systems, their structures and the renewable sources of energy. Also some applications are mentioned. In 2nd chapter, there is a description of the elements that produce electrical energy and the other elements of the hybrid system of distributed production of electrical energy which are used in the system. At the same time there are presented and analyzed the mathematical relations under which the system operates. In 3rd chapter, we enter the interface of the PSCAD modeling program, present and describe the structure and components of the hybrid power grid, while we also make a reference to the specifications that have to be met by the system of distributed production. In 4th chapter, is examined the behavior of the whole system as well as of the individual subsystems in steady-permanent state. In 5th chapter, is examined the behavior of the entire system as well as of the individual subsections during the disturbances which we have described above. In 6th chapter and last, we come to conclusions that emerged from the study of the hybrid system presented.

The geotechnical conditions of the soil can fluctuate greatly across the wind farm. This is an issue since geotechnical modelling is the base of the structural design of an offshore wind farm, and the efficient installation of the wind turbines depends on its accuracy. This paper deals with the characterization of the seabed, predicting the soil properties over the total affected area by a wind farm, with the challenge to reduce the required data samples in the site investigation under the number of installed wind turbines, to reduce its cost. It is compared the prediction outcome from two different interpolation methods, kriging and radial basis function, assessing their accuracy by the Mean-Squared Error and the Goodness-of-Prediction Estimate, as well as with a visual examination of their mapping; obtaining higher accuracy for radial basis function and reducing to half the required sample points, from the initial value of installed wind turbines. In a second stage it is studied the soil effect over the foundation, analyzing the results from a FEA, where different geometries of the structure are compared submitted to different load cases to check its limit states. Those results show that the foundation cost can increase four times due to the soil conditions, taking into account only the steel volume, and demonstrating how important is the soil characterization in the foundation design, as it gives the chance to relocate those wind turbines that require more expensive foundations.

Many utility-scale wind turbine generators use wound-rotor induction machines. By adding an external rotor resistance to the rotor circuit it is possible to control the wind turbine output power and, with proper control, maintain a constant power for wind speeds between rated and cut-out. The external resistance modifies the generator torque-speed curve and changes the angular velocity of the rotor, resulting in a greater power extraction from the wind. A number of control strategies can achieve this objective. These include controlling the rotor resistance to maintain a constant generator equivalent circuit, and control based on the aerodynamic torque. It is also possible to use a lookup table instead of a feedback controller. These options all have the same steady-state result as direct output power control, but differing transient performance. Computer simulations and hardware experiments are used to investigate and characterize the different control methods. / text

Electric power generation using wind turbines is on the rise in not only the United States but the entire globe. While the benefits from such methods of generation include clean and renewable energy, wind turbines may pose a potential risk to the stability of grid operation. Wind turbine generators are similar to conventional generators; however, the manner with which the wind turbine is coupled to the grid may reduce system inertia and increase the magnitude of transient stability problems. This study empirically examines the effect of wind generation on ERCOT system response characteristics following unit trips such as frequency drop, and phasor oscillation frequency and damping. It is shown with a high degree of certainty that an increase in wind generation is leading to a greater phasor oscillation frequency and lesser system inertia. Wind generation may also be leading to less system damping and smaller power frequency drops. / text