Figure 1: Final deflection simulation of the turbine blade
<aside> ⚠️ Problem Statement Project: Wind turbine blade design for a start-up in Calgary, Ontario Objectives:
Functional requirements:
The purpose of this project was to create a wind turbine blade that best fits a given scenario to create the most effective renewable energy source with determined constraints. As a team, we were assigned the roof generator as our scenario, as stated in the problem statement, and were asked to decide on the main objects, the most optimal material, and a thickness that would satisfy the given displacement constraint, and create an original and innovative blade design for the scenario.
The primary objective is to optimize the design and operation of a wind turbine for maximum efficiency, minimal cost and durability with the function of converting wind energy into electrical power, while minimizing its environmental impact and satisfying its maximum allowable deflection.
</aside>
Timeline of the project (09/21/23 - 11/02/23)
Everybody in the team worked very well together and individually, completing all milestones within the timeframe. All members contributed significantly in every milestone, sharing the team tasks equally between everyone.
<aside> 🤔 Beginning of the project, everyone created an objective tree based on a given scenario. I received scenario 3, the roof generator, as seen by the objective tree on the right-hand side. I settled on three primary objectives followed by some secondary objectives and a constraint.
Each member of the group created different objective trees for their given scenario. Everyone then collaborated on their ideas and settled on a few key objectives which would be used throughout the project. With the key objectives we chose, as a group, we created the rationale for our selection and some regulations regarding our scenario.
</aside>
Figure 3: Materials property chart displaying the top materials
Figure 4: Deflection simulation of the general wind turbine blade
Figure 2: Initial objective tree for the roof generator
<aside> 🧱
Each member of the group began by selecting an objective between minimizing cost and minimizing mass and created a material property chart using Granta EduPack 2023. The objective I chose was minimizing mass with the assigned MPI of MPI(mass) = E/𝜌 and creating a material property chart with the functional constraint of δ<δ^*. The five highest-ranked materials I obtained with this were :
As a team, based on everyone’s findings we settled on a few materials that best fit our needs which were, aluminum alloys, high-carbon steel and bamboo. Following a weighted decision matrix and some additional research, we decided that aluminum alloys best fit our scenario and recorded the material’s properties.
Following this, we each individually created a solid model of a generic Turbine Blade in Autodesk Inventor and ran a deflection simulation of the blade with a specific material that each of us selected. The material I selected was silver and obtained a deflection of 15.26mm with 0.003MPa of pressure.
</aside>
<aside> 🚀 For the scenario-specific blade design, we were asked to develop an original blade design in Autodesk Inventor, so we discussed and researched some blade designs to create the most efficient blade for our scenario. As a group, we discussed various design choices that need to be taken into consideration, including:
Along with the research done as a team, I did some additional research regarding airfoils and created the blade design that would best fit our scenario. With this, I designed a new concept blade and created a new multiview outlining its new design choices.
</aside>
Figure 6: 3D model of the scenario-specific blade
Figure 7: Final deflection simulation of the turbine blade
Figure 5: Multiview of the original scenario-specific blade
<aside> 🏁 Nearing the end of the project, we each individually conducted a simulation test of a given turbine blade to determine the optimal thickness. I ran the test with the given thickness of 15mm and obtained a deflection of about 12.97mm, which did not fit with the constraint of 10mm maximum deflection. So with some additional testing, I determined that the most optimal thickness was 20mm obtaining a maximum deflection of 9.188mm.
</aside>
<aside> 🚦 As the coordinator for this team, I was tasked with creating a logbook containing all our meetings held outside the workspace which keeps track of the progress that was made and by what means was it completed by.
</aside>
Table 1: Scheduled Meetings Logbook
| Date | In-person or online | Topic discussed | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/16/23 | In-person | Scenario-specific wind turbine blade | As a team, we worked together to research the rules and regulations for our scenario's location to keep in mind during the design process. We also investigated the physical properties of the turbine blade, including things like its weight, shape, and the angle of the blade all to make sure our design would be the most effective. When it came to the design phase, we started by making some changes to the original blade design provided, like altering its shape and size. This was needed to match the constraints for our given scenario. |
| 10/23/23 | In-person | Scenario-specific wind turbine blade & Milestone 4 | As a team, we continued to do additional research on our scenario-specific blade design, including the tip taper, airfoils, and the twisting of the blade. After the research had been conducted, we began an innovative design for our wind turbine blade, as it better fit the research we completed. We also added this additional research to the justification of the blade. |
We also discussed our blade thickness and peer interview for milestone 4. After some testing in Autodesk Inventor, we found the optimal thickness for our blade was 20mm while still maintaining below 10mm deflection for the chosen material of Aluminum alloys. After, we discussed our peer interview with the other group. We discussed the constraints and objectives of the other group compared them to ours and considered what design factors both our and their group could have considered. | | 10/24/23 | In-person | Final Deliverable | As a group, we read over the final project report template and assigned a few topics per group member. We spent about two hours doing research and refining all our findings and each of us added the work to the final deliverable. | | 10/30/23 | In-person | Final Deliverable | We took a final look at all subsections of the report and polished any discrepancies that were found. |
<aside> 🪞 I found this project very immersive and a great introduction to using new software like Granta EduPack and Autodesk Inventor, as well as collaborating with different people on the same project. Before this project, I found defining objectives quite difficult and was unsure how they would be helpful throughout the design process. However, when designing the objective trees in milestone 1, I gained some perspective on how to define and use objectives in a project, along with creating a high-level objective tree. Additionally, I learned about MPI and its use in the material selection process. I was able to identify primary and secondary objectives, and with the MPI I learned how to create a material property chart through Granta EduPack, along with following the MPI guidelines. This process was quite confusing for me at the beginning since I was unfamiliar with the software and the process.
Something that could have been improved in this project is the analysis of the scenario-specific blade design. To begin, we went through two stages of designing the wind turbine to set a baseline for designing a new blade. However, with this new blade, I found it difficult to test and confirm my research because I was unable to run simulations in Autodesk Inventor. I believe this may be due to the use of complex shapes and airfoils imported into the software. If allowed to redesign the blade, I would ensure it maintains a simulation-friendly design.
Additionally, reflecting on the objective trees that were designed, I would make the objectives more significant and follow the correct hierarchy. I found that in this project, the objective tree was not given much consideration, making it seem insignificant. Therefore, I would redesign the tree to make it easier to follow and ensure it is used throughout the project.
Through this project, I have gained a deeper understanding of the design process, material selection, and simulation testing. Working collaboratively with my team members has also improved my ability to effectively communicate and work towards common objectives. I am confident that the knowledge and experience gained from this project will have a significant impact on my future endeavours in the field of design. By the end of this project, our team successfully designed a turbine blade that is best suited for our scenario, the roof generator, we ran multiple simulation tests and determined the optimal thickness of the blade. This project is an excellent showcase of my progress in materials and design.
</aside>