Name : Pranjali Laxman Bidwai

Email ID : pranjali.bidwai@gmail.com
Contact detail : 9028887910

College Name : Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad

Year 2015 - 2019
Problem Statement

Wind power is one of the most important sources of renewable energy. Wind-turbines extract kinetic energy
from the wind. The research on wind turbine blade design was limited on theoretical study, field testing and
wind tunnel testing which need a lot of efforts and resources. Due to the development of computer aided design
codes, they provide another way to design and analyze the wind turbine blades. Aerodynamic performance of
wind turbine blades can be analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), which is one of the branches of
fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems of fluid flows.
Meanwhile, finite element method (FEM) can be used for the blade structure analysis. Comparing to traditional
theoretical and experimental methods, numerical method saves money and time for the performance analysis
and optimal design of wind turbine blades.
Details of Model
• Mesh type
Hex Dominant : Creates a free hex dominant mesh. It is useful for meshing bodies that cannot be swept. Recommended for
meshing bodies with large interior volumes. Not recommended for thin or highly complex shapes.

• Mesh size
In this project, mesh size of aerofoil is 10 mm. The reason for this selection of mesh is that lesser the mesh size, greater the
accuracy in result and also the eigen value get lesser with less mesh size.

• Element shape
Quad / triangle

• Total number of nodes and element

Nodes : 2380
Element : 2255
Details of Model
• Quality of Mesh
• Curvature: The curvature size function examines curvature on edges and faces and sets element sizes so as not to violate
the maximum size or the curvature angle (automatically computed or defined by the user).
• Normal angle: The maximum allowable angle that one element edge is allowed to span (default based on relevance and
span angle center settings).
• Min Size: the minimum element edge size that the Mesher will create.
• Max Face Size: Maximum size the surface Mesher will allow.
• Max Size: Maximum size the volume Mesher will allow.
• Growth Rate: Specifies the increase in element size for each succeeding layer progressing from an edge. A value of 1.2
represents a 20% increase. Settings from 1 to 5 with a default determined by relevance and transition settings.
• Proximity: The proximity size function allows you to specify the minimum number of element layers created in regions
that constitute “gaps” in the model
• Proximity Accuracy: Set between 0 and 1 (0.5=default). Controls the search range used with the max size and cells across
gap settings. A setting of 0 is faster, a setting of 1 is more accurate.
• Num Cells Across Gap: specifies the number of element layers to be generated in the gap sections (i.e. between features).
Input case 1 (CFD Analysis)
• Boundary Condition
Simulation Type : Steady State Simulation
Fluid material : Air
Flow type : Incompressible Flow
Temperature : 300K
Kinematic Viscosity : 1.4607*10-5 m2/s
Laminar flow
Moving wall with no slip shear condition
Output case 1 (CFD Analysis)
• Initialization : Hybrid
Input Case 2 (Static Structural)
The output of CFD analysis is used the Input for Static Structural Analysis, i.e. Maximum Pressure (Apply max
pressure in static structural at the location where maximum pressure is generated in CFD)
Output Case 2 with Aluminium Alloy
material
Stress (Von-Misses)

Strain

Deformation
Output Case 2 with Structural Steel
Stress

Strain

Deformation
Conclusion
• Results
Aluminium Alloy Structural Steel
Youngs Modulus 7.1E+ 10 Pa 2E+ 11 Pa
Equivalent Stress 24285 MPa 23189 MPa
Equivalent strain 0.34207 0.11596
Total Deformation 27058 mm 9716 mm

• Stress is independent of young’s modulus. The yield’s strength is different in all material. Yield strength is the
stress at which the material begin to deform. The yield strength of aluminium alloy is higher than structural
steel. So the aluminium alloy can sustain higher stress.
• Young’s modulus is equal to the ratio of stress and strain. Strain is inversely proportional to the young’s
modulus. The young’s modulus of aluminium alloy is lesser than the structural steel. Therefore, the strain of
aluminium alloy is greater than structural steel. Thus, the total deformation for aluminium alloy is higher as
the strain is change in dimension to total dimension.