Research

The two major research areas are rotor aerodynamics and wind turbine design, supported by some smaller topics like analysis of wind, turbulence and gusts, and scenario development for offshore wind power, and research towards the use of wind power in the built environment.

Rotor aerodynamics

The group has a unique experimental wind tunnel to test model rotors, the Open Jet Facility (OJF). Furthermore the group uses the other wind tunnels of the Aerospace Faculty, of which the low-turbulence, low-speed closed-circuit tunnel, which is perfect for the development of aero foils designed for wind power application. We make extensive use of advanced experimental techniques such as laser sheet stereo PIV and CTA hot wire anemometry. Apart from that we have our own rotor rotor-aerodynamics design and analysis tools and use commercial CFD packages. Not surprisingly, the research of Wind Energy is always a combination of experiments and analysis

Wind turbine design

In the design of wind turbines all disciplines come together. Since offshore wind power is the most demanding application, the development of design methodologies is focusing on offshore wind power stations.

Two design aspects prevail in this research: keep the loads on the offshore wind turbines as low as possible, and to aim for a maximum availability of the wind power station with, at the same time, low maintenance requirements. The research topics range from structural reliability analysis and reliability based design to the optimization of the design and to the development of new concepts for offshore wind power.    

Wind energy in the built environment

Parallel to the larger programmes on Rotor Aerodynamic and Wind Turbine Design Tools a smaller R&D programme is present on the aerodynamics and design of small, extremely quiet, wind turbines that contribute to the energy demand of office buildings and households. This application of wind energy gave rise to new studies on vertical axis machines, (Darrieus type), and to wind engineering research.

Cooperation within the faculty, DUWIND, ECN and the Academy

Almost all research of the group is done in close cooperation with other research groups at Delft University, in which the wind energy group acts as integrator of knowledge. This cooperation covers research groups at Aerospace Engineering as well as research groups at all Duwind faculties. The group has strong ties with ECN in the Netherlands, and with international partners. With ECN, TU-Delft was one of the founding members of the European Academy for Wind Energy, in which universities and institutes in 6 European countries cooperate. Furthermore the group takes part in several research projects of the International Energy Agency, which provides a platform for cooperation with research institutions in the US, Canada and Japan