Design and optimization of smart wind turbines to vibration control and structural monitoring - SWinT
Project title: Design and optimization of smart wind turbines to vibration control and structural monitoring
Duration time: 24 months. Start date: 2023-04, end date: 2025-03
Project acronym: SWinT
Principal Investigator: Dr. Marcela Rodrigues Machado,
e-mail: marcela.rodrigues-machado@pbs.edu.pl, mromarcela@gmail.com
website: marcela-machado
A statement on the source of funding: This research is part of the project No. 2022/45/P/ST8/02123 co-funded by the National Science Centre and the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 945339.
Project location: The research project is carried out at the Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, mentored by Prof. Dr Maciej Dutkiewicz.
Project information
Introduction: A reliable power supply is crucial for the sustainable development of any economy, and as the world increasingly focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investment in renewable energy sources has seen significant growth. Among these sources, wind energy has emerged as a key technology to reduce dependence on coal, oil, and gas while opening doors to substantial investment opportunities in the near future. However, wind turbines continue to face challenges, particularly in dealing with vibrations. This research project aims to address these limitations by utilizing metamaterials and smart metastructures to enhance vibration control and monitoring in wind turbines.
Enhancing Vibration Control: Despite numerous control strategies, vibrations remain a persistent issue in wind turbines. To overcome this challenge, the project proposes the use of metamaterials and smart structures that offer enhanced vibration control, mitigation, and integrity monitoring. By leveraging mechanical and electromechanical resonators, along with electronic shunt circuits for passive control, these innovative solutions aim to optimize the design and performance of wind turbines.
Optimization and Efficiency: A key objective of this research project is to explore and develop optimized topologies for resonating shunt circuits and mechanical absorbers. This optimization is geared towards achieving improved efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and wide-ranging applications for these metamaterials in vibration control and stabilization of wind turbines. By harnessing the potential of smart metastructures, the research aims to enhance the overall performance of wind turbine systems.
Monitoring and Detection: In addition to vibration control, the proposed smart metastructures have the capability to monitor system vibrations and elastic waves and aid in the detection of discontinuities and malfunctions. This integrated monitoring system holds immense value for ensuring the reliability and functionality of wind turbines, while also contributing to predictive maintenance practices.
Industrial Applications and Collaborative Research: This project seeks to establish a multidisciplinary research group dedicated to developing the next generation of smart-wind turbines. The aim is to address the challenges of broadband vibration mitigation, control, and monitoring within the industrial sector. By collaborating with experts and stakeholders, this project strives to bridge the gap between research and implementation.
The research and development of smart wind turbines using metamaterials and smart metastructures for vibration control, mitigation, and monitoring are undergoing significant progress. At the conclusion of this project, a research-level technology readiness level (TRL-3) is expected to be achieved, bringing us closer to the reality of reliable and efficient wind turbine systems that contribute to a sustainable future. By pushing the boundaries of wind turbine technology, this research project aims to unlock new possibilities for renewable energy and pave the way for a greener and cleaner future.