Study of Design Load Cases for Multi-Megawatt Onshore Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

In the last years, large scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) are re-gaining a general interest in the wind energy sector as an alternative to Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs). However, the existing standards and guidelines for wind turbine certification do not include specific requirements for VAWT rotors. This thesis aims to study...

Airfoil Optimization for vertical axis wind turbines

This thesis addresses the process of airfoil optimization for vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). The airfoils are designed for large scale turbines above 5 MW. The VAWT concept is relevant for offshore floating wind energy, because of its low center of gravity (stability) and their simplicity (low maintenance). An optimal tip speed ratio of 4-4...