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Airfoil Optimization Through Differential Evolution

Nilsson, Eddie LU (2017) MVK920 20172
Department of Energy Sciences
Abstract (Swedish)
This thesis presents the development of a numerical optimization algorithm
for airfoils, and how it can be used in design of wind turbine blades. It was
found that the developed algorithm successfully improves the goal parameters
under given conditions and constraints. This research was conducted on
behalf of Winfoor AB who has developed a conceptually new blade design, in
which every single blade is made up of three individual blades, kept together
by rods in a truss like manner. Their wish was to develop a new airfoil for
their turbine, with higher performance and a more docile stall, and yet remaining
a high airfoil thickness in order to not alter structural stability. The
task was conducted by describing the airfoils with... (More)
This thesis presents the development of a numerical optimization algorithm
for airfoils, and how it can be used in design of wind turbine blades. It was
found that the developed algorithm successfully improves the goal parameters
under given conditions and constraints. This research was conducted on
behalf of Winfoor AB who has developed a conceptually new blade design, in
which every single blade is made up of three individual blades, kept together
by rods in a truss like manner. Their wish was to develop a new airfoil for
their turbine, with higher performance and a more docile stall, and yet remaining
a high airfoil thickness in order to not alter structural stability. The
task was conducted by describing the airfoils with B-splines and writing an
optimization algorithm in MATLAB in which the flow characteristics of the
airfoils were determined by the external software XFOIL. This thesis shows
how to characterize numerical optimization problems, what differential evolution
is and how it can be implemented in a MATLAB-code, how airfoils can
be described with B-splines, the usage of XFOIL and how penalty functions
can be imposed for constrained optimization problems, to mention some of
the wisdoms this work has brought. This research is important as numerical
optimization of airfoils is not yet the standard method for airfoil design, and
thus it can possibly contribute with valuable insights and results to further
development of airfoil optimization. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nilsson, Eddie LU
supervisor
organization
course
MVK920 20172
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Differential evolution, optimization, airfoil, wind turbine
report number
ISRN LUTMDN/TMHP-17/5401-SE
ISSN
0282-1990
language
English
id
8929179
date added to LUP
2017-12-21 13:07:49
date last changed
2017-12-21 13:07:49
@misc{8929179,
  abstract     = {{This thesis presents the development of a numerical optimization algorithm
for airfoils, and how it can be used in design of wind turbine blades. It was
found that the developed algorithm successfully improves the goal parameters
under given conditions and constraints. This research was conducted on
behalf of Winfoor AB who has developed a conceptually new blade design, in
which every single blade is made up of three individual blades, kept together
by rods in a truss like manner. Their wish was to develop a new airfoil for
their turbine, with higher performance and a more docile stall, and yet remaining
a high airfoil thickness in order to not alter structural stability. The
task was conducted by describing the airfoils with B-splines and writing an
optimization algorithm in MATLAB in which the flow characteristics of the
airfoils were determined by the external software XFOIL. This thesis shows
how to characterize numerical optimization problems, what differential evolution
is and how it can be implemented in a MATLAB-code, how airfoils can
be described with B-splines, the usage of XFOIL and how penalty functions
can be imposed for constrained optimization problems, to mention some of
the wisdoms this work has brought. This research is important as numerical
optimization of airfoils is not yet the standard method for airfoil design, and
thus it can possibly contribute with valuable insights and results to further
development of airfoil optimization.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Eddie}},
  issn         = {{0282-1990}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Airfoil Optimization Through Differential Evolution}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}