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Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT)

HAWT components are used to model horizontal axis wind turbines. They can be set-up on fixed or floating sub-structure. HAWT are represented by Lines and Rigid Bodies connected together.

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines are represented by Lines and Rigid Bodies connected together. In the Model Browser a HAWT component contains all the sub-components it is made of.

HAWT components use a library named AeroDeep which includes a series of routines written to perform the aerodynamic calculations for aeroelastic simulations of the blades.

Up to version 5.5, an external xml file, written by the user, was used to transfer the blade input data from DeepLines to AeroDeep.

From version 5.6, the blade data transfer from DeepLines to AeroDeep is managed through a json file. This json file is, by default, automatically generated by DeepLines, but can also be provided in an encrypted format by the blade supplier to ensure blade data confidentiality.

However, it is still possible to use a blade xml file by specifying one through the Aero solver options type.

The wind turbine data form includes the following data sets:

  • General data: to specify the name of your HAWT component, the position of the origin expressed in the global coordinates system, and whether the rigid body is free, anchored or connected with another object from your model.

  • Turbine: This tab defines the main characteristics of the wind turbine, including the sense of rotation, the position of the rotor (upwind or downwind), the number of blades, and the general arrangement of all components.

  • Blades: This tab defines the blade length, geometry and mechanical properties. Encrypted blade files can be loaded from this tab.

  • Tower: This tab defines the tower geometry (including length, outer diameter and wall thickness of the tower), the material properties, and the drag coefficient.

  • Nacelle: This tab is used to define the nacelle properties (mass and inertia), and to create fairlead points.

  • Hub: This tab is used to define the hub properties (mass and inertia), and to create fairlead points.

  • Power train: Used to define the characteristics of the low and high speed shaft, and the properties of the bearing and gearbox.

  • Control: Used to address the design specification of the turbine through Control mode and Control Dll option types.

  • Solver: Used to define the aerodynamic properties through an Aero solver option type.

Note

(1) Wind turbines components can be imported or exported thru the import/export dialogue.

(2) Click the HAWT toolbar button, or right click the HAWT folder in the Model Browser to create a new HAWT. Right-click any existing HAWT model in the Model Browser to perform operations on it, such as copy edit, rename, delete, etc. Each object - and the HAWT container - can be manipulated like other model objects including Hide/Show, rename, copy, edit, delete.