Aerodynamic Perspectives on Wind Energy Efficiency
Gael De Oliveira Andrade (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
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Abstract
This thesis investigates the efficiency of wind energy conversion from three aerodynamic perspectives. The first, purely theoretical, assumes steady inviscid flow conditions to identify multi-rotor setups that can extract more power per unit area than isolated rotors. The second, more practical perspective, assesses the extent to which site-tailored airfoils could reduce the cost of wind energy. Finally, the third perspective considers data-driven opportunities to better predict airfoil and vortex-generator flows relevant to wind turbine load calculations.