Energy for Sustainable Development
The Journal of the International
Energy Initiative
© 2007, International Energy Initiative, Inc.
ISSN: 0973-0826
Volume XII, No.2, June 2008, pp. 5-16
Analysing
the suspension system of variable-geometry oval-trajectory (VGOT)
Darrieus wind turbines
F.L. Ponta and L.I. Lago
Abstract
A new
computational model for the analysis of the suspension system
of an innovative concept in vertical-axis wind turbines is
introduced. We used this model to study a new concept in
extra-large wind-power plants: the VGOT (variable-geometry
oval-trajectory) Darrieus wind turbine. In a traditional
Darrieus turbine, the blades rotate around a central vertical
axis. In the VGOT concept each blade slides over rails,
mounted on a wagon formed by a reticulated structure supported
by standard train bogies. The blade-wagon is subject to
fluctuating aerodynamic loads in the direction perpendicular
to the rails. Thus, its suspension system should absorb not
only the vertical oscillating loads due to the weight and the
irregularities of the rails, but also the cross-rail
oscillations induced by the fluctuating aerodynamics. We gave
our dynamical model the capacity of dealing with these
particular features of the VGOT design. Here, we show the
numerical results of a test conducted on a typical VGOT
configuration.
Key-words:
Innovative concepts, vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs),
Darrieus rotors, VGOT Darrieus
