Aerodynamic design of commercial wind turbines based on unsteady Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics

The project has enabled further development of a Lancaster in-house Navier-Stokes Computational Fluid Dynamic package for the analysis and design of fixed-bottom and floating wind turbines. Making use of the new capabilities, different design options of a commercial wind turbine have been thoroughly assessed, and the outcome of this investigation has been pivotal to the industry in making strategic technical and commercial decisions.

We used novel research computer codes developed in previous research projects to produce reliable and low-cost aerodynamic performance data of strategic importance for the design of the blades of a new commercial wind turbine. These computer codes enable reliable estimates of the energy production of wind turbines for given wind speeds, namely those at the site where the turbine operates, and often provide results which are more accurate than those of standard and well established engineering codes used in the industry.