Independent research and development progress in large-scale wind turbine blade with coordinated aerodynamics,structure, and load

Abstract According to the three key elements in blade design process, i.e., aerodynamic design, structure design, and load prediction, the independent research and development (R&D) progress of blade design is summarized and analyzed. The calculational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, the vortex method, and the blade element momentum method (BEM) are described. Based on the widely used BEM method, the solutions for the blade design in low-speed wind area are obtained. A brief overview of the traditional design and analysis methods based on beam models is given. The defects of these methods used for simulating the structure of large-scale composite blade are analyzed. The application progress of the finite element method (FEM) used in the blade structure analysis is shown. The effects of load prediction on the blades and entire wind turbine are introduced. The progress in load forecasting is described. With the analysis of the relationship among these three key elements, it is concluded that developing a blade optimization design system with coordinated aerodynamics, structure, and load will truly meet the requirement of high efficiency and low cost. The main directions for further study are pointed out, e.g., high efficiency and low load airfoils, structural nonlinear finite element analysis, aerodynamic structure coupling research, and establishing different design standards. The aim is to establish a blade R&D system suitable for the conditions of wind resources in China and promote the development of wind power in the country.     

Analytical solutions for a single blade in vertical axis turbine motion in two-dimensions

An analytical model for a time dependent two dimensional flow around a moving profile is developed. The model is suitable for fast aerodynamic and aeroelastic coupling calculations. It determines the inviscid pressure distribution in the vicinity of one blade and the force on the blade in arbitrary two dimensional motion. The method is more flexible than previous analysis: it can represent any profile, pitching motion and blade attachment position. The method is based on conformal mapping techniques and Laurent's series decomposition and is faster and more accurate than standard panel methods. A main idea is to directly treat the singularities of the flow in a mapped plane where any geometrical plane is simplified to a circle. The vorticity is assumed to be shed in the form of a continuous vortex sheet near the trailing edge.     

基于IGA-SIMP法的连续体结构应力约束拓扑优化

建立了一种IGA-SIMP框架下的连续体结构应力约束拓扑优化方法。基于常用的SIMP模型,将非均匀有理B样条（NURBS）函数用于几何建模、结构分析和设计参数化,实现了结构分析和优化设计的集成统一。利用高阶连续的NURBS基函数,等几何分析（IGA）提高了结构应力及其灵敏度的计算精度,增加了拓扑优化结果的可信性。为处理大量局部应力约束,提出了基于稳定转换法修正的P-norm应力约束策略,以克服拓扑优化中的迭代振荡和收敛困难。通过几个典型平面应力问题的拓扑优化算例表明了本文方法的有效性和精确性。应力约束下的体积最小化设计以及体积和应力约束下的柔顺度最小化设计的算例表明,基于稳定转换法修正的约束策略可以抑制应力约束体积最小化设计中的迭代振荡现象,获得稳定收敛的优化解;比较而言,体积和应力约束下的柔顺度最小化设计的迭代过程更加稳健,适合采用精确修正的应力约束策略。     

低压涡轮内部流动及其气动设计研究进展

随着高空无人飞行器研究的不断升温, 高空低雷诺数条件下动力装置的研究越来越受到人们的重视.结合近年来国内外相关领域的研究工作, 对低雷诺数低压涡轮内部复杂流动机理的研究进展进行了介绍, 包括低雷诺数情况下低压涡轮内部非定常流动的特点, 叶片边界层分离及转捩现象机理, 上游周期性尾迹与下游叶片边界层相互作用机理等. 在此基础上给出了适合低雷诺数条件的低压涡轮气动设计方法:尾迹通过与边界层的相互作用, 能够抑制分离, 进而减小叶型损失, 在气动设计中有效引入非定常效应可以大幅度提高低压涡轮的气动负荷或降低气动损失, 最终达到提高性能的目的;数值及实验结果验证了这种设计方法的有效性.      

有限长滑动轴承非线性油膜力的近似解法

本文中提出了一种求解有限长径向滑动轴承非线性油膜力的近似解析方法.在滑动轴承-转子系统非线性动力行为分析中,油膜力计算模型通常采用"π"油膜假设,但是,实际工况中油膜的存在区域并非是"π"区域,运行时油膜中出现气穴,破裂成条纹状(即具有Reynolds边界条件).本文中的近似解析方法采用Reynolds边界条件,基于变分原理,运用分离变量法求解油膜的压力分布,其中油膜压力的周向分离函数通过无限长轴承的油膜压力分布获得,油膜的破裂终止位置角通过连续条件确定,轴向分离函数运用变分原理并结合周向函数求得.计算结果表明:本文中提出的方法和有限元方法的结果吻合得很好.在此基础上,分析了一些轴承参数对油膜压力分布的影响.     

基于近似技术的涡轮叶片气动优化设计

根据五次多项式方法进行三维涡轮叶片的参数化建模,采用N-S方程和湍流模型进行三维流场分析计算,以K-S函数法作为优化方法,利用近似技术加速循环优化速度,建立了一种基于近似技术的涡轮叶片的气动优化方法。将气动效率和总压比作为目标函数,对涡轮叶片进行多目标气动优化、形状优化。算例表明本文提出的涡轮叶片优化设计方法是有效的。     

Lift enhancement of airfoil and tip flow control for wind turbine

Two techniques that improve the aerodynamic performance of wind turbine airfoils are described. The airfoil S809, designed specially for wind turbine blades, and the airfoil FX60-100, having a higher lift-drag ratio, are selected to verify the flow control techniques. The flow deflector, fixed at the leading edge, is employed to control the boundary layer separation on the airfoil at a high angle of attack. The multi-island genetic algorithm is used to optimize the parameters of the flow deflector. The results indicate that the flow deflector can suppress the flow separation, delay the stall, and enhance the lift. The characteristics of the blade tip vortex, the wake vortex, and the surface pressure distributions of the blades are analyzed. The vortex diffuser, set up at the blade tip, is employed to control the blade tip vortex. The results show that the vortex diffuser can increase the total pressure coefficient of the core of the vortex, decrease the strength of the blade tip vortex, lower the noise, and improve the efficiency of the blade.     

基于相场描述的拉压不对称强度结构拓扑优化

运用了基于相场描述的拓扑优化方法,来寻找在拉伸和压缩中表现出不对称强度行为的连续体结构的最优布局。依据Drucker-Prager屈服准则和幂率插值方案,优化问题可以描述为在局部应力约束下的最小化结构的体积。用qp放松法来解决应力约束的奇异性,并采用基于P-norm函数的聚合方法对应力约束进行凝聚,该方法实现了约束个数的降低,同时引入了稳定转化法来处理大量的局部应力约束和高度非线性的应力行为,以修正应力,提高优化收敛的稳定性。在优化问题求解时,使用拉格朗日乘子法对目标函数和应力约束进行处理。利用伴随变量法进行灵敏度分析,并通过求解Allen-Cahn方程更新相场函数设计变量。数值算例证明了该优化模型和相应数值技术的有效性,相关算例还揭示了考虑拉压不同强度和考虑同拉压强度约束时得到的结构优化拓扑构型具有显著的差异。     

风剪切对风力机叶片气动性能及尾迹形状的影响

风力机通常运行在非定常工况中,其气动性能及尾迹会随着工况的变化而变化.风剪切是风力机长期所处的环境,它会影响到叶片气动载荷、尾迹形状、总体性能等,分析风剪切作用下的叶片气动性能对风力机的设计有重要意义.本文采用一种时间步进自由涡尾迹(free vortex wake,FVW)方法,耦合FVW方法与风剪切模型,计算不同风...     

CFD-based analysis of multistage throughflow surfaces with incidence

A numerical finite-volume solution of Euler equations is performed in the meridional plane of complete axial flow turbomachinery. The throughflow equations contain blade force terms that model the effects of the real blades on the flow and are resolved by further equations. Under the axisymmetric flow assumption, incidence involves a discontinuity through the leading edge, which introduces strong unphysical losses. Incidence is modeled by solving an inverse problem in the front part of the bladed region. The inverse method provides the geometry of the throughflow surface that replaces the discontinuous profile of swirl velocity with a specified, conveniently smooth profile across the leading edge region. The specified velocity profile and computed ideal geometry are used to update the blade force. The Euler solution is compared to a streamline curvature solution in analyzing a three-stage turbine. In the design condition with up to 2° of spanwise-averaged incidence, the method does not significantly affect the prediction of overall performance. In a strong off-design condition with up to 13° of average incidence, performance is predicted with the same accuracy as in the design case.     

A nonlinear model for aerodynamic configuration of wake behind horizontal-axis wind turbine

Determination of the aerodynamic configuration of wake is the key to analysis and evaluation of the rotor aerodynamic characteristics of a horizontal-axis wind turbine.According to the aerodynamic configuration, the real magnitude and direction of the onflow velocity at the rotor blade can be determined, and subsequently, the aerodynamic force on the rotor can be determined. The commonly employed wake aerodynamic models are of the cylindrical form instead of the actual expanding one. This is because the influence of the radial component of the induced velocity on the wake configuration is neglected. Therefore, this model should be called a "linear model". Using this model means that the induced velocities at the rotor blades and aerodynamic loads on them would be inexact. An approximately accurate approach is proposed in this paper to determine the so-called "nonlinear" wake aerodynamic configuration by means of the potential theory,where the influence of all three coordinate components of the induced velocity on wake aerodynamic configuration is taken into account to obtain a kind of expanding wake that approximately looks like an actual one. First, the rotor aerodynamic model composed of axial(central), bound, and trailing vortexes is established with the help of the finite aspect wing theory. Then, the Biot-Savart formula for the potential flow theory is used to derive a set of integral equations to evaluate the three components of the induced velocity at any point within the wake. The numerical solution to the integral equations is found,and the loci of all elementary trailing vortex filaments behind the rotor are determined thereafter. Finally, to formulate an actual wind turbine rotor, using the nonlinear wake model, the induced velocity everywhere in the wake, especially that at the rotor blade,is obtained in the case of various tip speed ratios and compared with the wake boundary in a neutral atmospheric boundary layer. Hereby, some useful and referential conclusions are offered for the aerodynamic computation and design of the rotor of the horizontal-axis wind turbine.     

An optimal method for seismic drift design of concrete buildings using gradient and Hessian matrix calculations

This paper describes a novel seismic optimal design method for the reinforced concrete frame. First, an optimal mathematical model with time-dependent constraints, i.e., inter-story drift constraints, is established for achieving minimum weight design. Second, the inequality constraint problem with time-dependent constraints is converted into a sequence of appropriately formed unconstrained problems using the integral interior point penalty function method. Third, an efficient algorithm of the first and second derivatives of the inter-story drift with respect to design variables is formulated based on Newmark-β method. Gradient and Hessian matrix of the integral interior penalty function are also computed. Fourth, Marquardt’s method is employed to solve a sequence of unconstrained problems. Finally, the minimum weight design of a three-story, two-bay planar frame is demonstrated using the new optimization method and the augmented Lagrange multiplier method. The comparative results show the seismic optimal design method presented in this paper is more efficient than the augmented Lagrange multiplier method in terms of computational time. The proposed new method is an effective and efficient approach for minimum weight design of the reinforced concrete frames subjected to earthquake excitation.     

Rapid diagnosis of flow separation around an axial impeller in a mixing vessel

 The relative flows around a flat plate axial impeller in a mixing vessel were visualized directly using a combined image shifting and image de-rotation technique. The image shifting technique used a rotating mirror to produce a velocity bias equal to the blade velocity so that the relative flow field could be studied in a co-axial plane cutting through the 2-dimensional blade section. The technique provides a rapid means of locating local flow separation on the blade. To visualize the relative flow field in the plane of the blade span, an image de-rotation method was used. The method includes using a dove-shaped prism which, when rotated, produce a rotation of an image about the optical axis. It was observed in the relative frame of reference through the prism that a new vortex structure, not reported previously, with vorticity sign opposite to that of the rotation of the shaft, exists near the hub at the high pressure side of the blade. Received: 17 June 1996/Accepted:12 November 1996     

一种适用于强非线性结构力学问题数值求解的修正小波伽辽金方法

论文通过对有限区间上的任一连续函数在边界处采用基于泰勒展开的延拓处理,构造了一种与任意边界条件相协调的改进小波尺度基函数及在此基础上建立了小波逼近格式,由此可有效避免小波逼近在求解微分方程时在边界处的跳跃或抖动问题.在此基础上,结合论文后两位作者提出的广义小波高斯积分法,关于未知函数的任意非线性项的小波展开可以显式地用...     

Wake impacts on aerodynamic and aeroelastic behaviors of a horizontal axis wind turbine blade for sheared and turbulent flow conditions

The magnitude and temporal variations of wind speed considerably influence aerodynamic and structural responses of MW-sized horizontal axis wind turbines. Thus, this paper investigates the variations in airloads and blade behavior of a wind turbine blade resulting from operations in sheared and turbulent flow conditions. First, in order to validate the present methods, comparisons of aerodynamic results were made among the blade element momentum method, free-wake method, and numerical results from the previous studies. Then, the validated methods were applied to a national renewable energy laboratory 5 MW reference wind turbine model for fluid–structure interaction analyses. From the numerical simulations, it can be clearly seen that unfavorable airloads and blade deformations occur due to the sheared and turbulent flow conditions. In addition, it is clear that wake impacts are not as substantial at those of high wind speeds; however, the effects obviously affect the aerodynamic and structural behaviors of the blade at lower wind speeds. Therefore, it is concluded that the numerical results markedly indicate the demand for accurate assessment of wake dynamics for accurate estimations of the aerodynamic and structural responses for sheared and turbulent flow environments.     

Effects of material properties on the total stored energy of a hybrid flywheel rotor

Summary A numerical method based on the assumption of a generalized plane strain (GPS) state is presented for calculating the stress and strength ratio distributions of the rotating composite flywheel rotor of varying material properties in the radial direction. The rotor is divided into many rings and each ring has constant material properties. All the rings are assumed to expand and have the same axial strain. A three-dimensional finite element method is then used to verify the accuracy of the present method. This method gives a better solution for most of the rotors than other methods of a plane stress or plane strain state. After verification, the effects of material properties on the total stored energy (TSE) of the composite flywheel rotor are investigated. For this purpose, the material properties of the rotor, i.e. circumferential and radial Young's moduli, ply angles and mass densities are expressed by power functions of the radius, and the rotor is analyzed. The analysis shows that TSE can be most effectively increased by changing the circumferential Young's moduli along the radius, which amounts to over 300% of TSE of the constant material properties. The variation of ply angles along the radius can increase TSE by about 30% at most. The method of changing the mass densities along the radius could be also effective but its effects are not so noticeable in the rotor where the circumferential stiffness is properly arranged. Received 7 June 1999; accepted for publication 15 January 2000     

Design of an airfoil with a given velocity distribution near an interface

Solutions for problems of profile design near a rigid wall or free surface are found as particular cases of the more general inverse problem of flow over an airfoil near an interface. The solution is based on a modification of the iteration method developed in [3, 4] for the direct problem of flow over a profile near an interface. In each step the apparatus of quasisolutions is employed. The calculations carried out demonstrate the efficiency of the method and reveal the effect of an interface, a rigid wall and a free surface on the geometric and aerodynamic characteristics of the profile.Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No.6, pp. 15–21, November–December, 1992.     

A numerical modelling of stator–rotor interaction in a turbine stage with oscillating blades

In real flows unsteady phenomena connected with the circumferential non-uniformity of the main flow and those caused by oscillations of blades are observed only jointly. An understanding of the physics of the mutual interaction between gas flow and oscillating blades and the development of predictive capabilities are essential for improved overall efficiency, durability and reliability. In the study presented, the algorithm proposed involves the coupled solution of 3D unsteady flow through a turbine stage and the dynamics problem for rotor-blade motion by the action of aerodynamic forces, without separating the outer and inner flow fluctuations. The partially integrated method involves the solution of the fluid and structural equations separately, but information is exchanged at each time step, so that solution from one domain is used as a boundary condition for the other domain. 3-D transonic gas flow through the stator and rotor blades in relative motion with periodicity on the whole annulus is described by the unsteady Euler conservation equations, which are integrated using the explicit monotonous finite volume difference scheme of Godunov–Kolgan. The structural analysis uses the modal approach and a 3-D finite element model of a blade. The blade motion is assumed to be constituted as a linear combination of the first natural modes of blade oscillations, with the modal coefficients depending on time. A calculation has been done for the last stage of the steam turbine, under design and off-design regimes. The numerical results for unsteady aerodynamic forces due to stator–rotor interaction are compared with results obtained while taking into account blade oscillations. The mutual influence of both outer flow non-uniformity and blade oscillations has been investigated. It is shown that the amplitude-frequency spectrum of blade oscillations contains the high-frequency harmonics, corresponding to the rotor moving past one stator blade pitch, and low-frequency harmonics caused by blade oscillations and flow non-uniformity downstream from the blade row; moreover, the spectrum involves the harmonics which are not multiples of the rotation frequency.     

桁架结构非概率可靠性形状优化设计

采用区间变量描述不确定参数,提出一种桁架结构非概率可靠性形状优化方法。建立了以截面尺寸和节点坐标为设计变量,以结构重量为目标函数,具有非概率可靠性指标约束的桁架结构形状优化数学模型。采用量纲归一化对截面尺寸和节点坐标进行了变量统一;运用均值点法对功能函数进行泰勒线性近似求解得到相应的非概率可靠性指标,并采用序列二次规划算法对优化模型进行求解。三个算例分析结果表明,算例均能快速稳定地收敛到最优解,结果符合工程结构设计经验,验证了本文所提方法的准确性和有效性。     

SH波对直角平面区域内圆形衬砌的散射与地震动

研究了以任意方向入射的平面SH 波对直角平面区域内圆形衬砌的散射与地震动问题．利用复变函数法、多极坐标移动技术及镜像法,将直角平面区域内的波场延拓于半无限空间,根据边界条件将该问题的解答可归结为对一组无穷代数方程组的求解问题,通过算例考虑衬砌的动应力集中和地表位移．结果表明,衬砌的动应力集中和地表位移幅值取决于入射波频率、角度、衬砌的位置和厚度比．