wind energy
Pennsylvania is an emerging leader in wind energy in the eastern U.S., due to the presence of a good
wind resource, incentives provided by the state government, and the growing number of wind-based companies
associated with these factors. Pennsylvania is also close to many contemplated offshore sites along
the Atlantic coast. Gamesa, a major player in the global wind energy business, has located its U.S.
headquarters in Pennsylvania ( Philadelphia), and has already built several wind farms in the state.
Penn State has significant capabilities in the traditional technical aspects of wind turbines: aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, blade and rotor design, drivetrains, generators, foundations, condition monitoring, and grid connection. Much of this expertise was developed in cooperation with industry and university partners, and directed towards applications to helicopter and ships. Penn State also has significant capabilities to advance the state of the art for future systems. We also bring social science and policy research interests to bear on issues associated with human factors, siting, community and economic development.
Penn State Capabilities
Researchers in our top-ranked Department of Meteorology investigate fundamental questions in atmospheric physics, and have the capabilities to address issues related to wind resource assessment, prediction of boundary-layer turbulence and wind shear, siting, and supply-side forecasting. In collaboration with other researchers in Engineering and at ARL, they are also developing and using ground-based SODAR, RASS, LIDAR, and sonic anemometers for remote sensing of atmospheric properties and flow. In research for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), aerospace engineering researchers have also used RASS for wake-turbulence sensing at airports.
Faculty in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and the College of Agricultural Sciences, investigate the community implications of renewable energy. Faculty are engaged in providing technical assistance to communities considering energy-related development.
Penn State is home to a major Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence (VLRCOE, also “ Rotorcraft Center”), one of only two in the U.S. Led by the Department of Aerospace Engineering, with partners in the Applied Research Laboratory and the Composites Manufacturing Technology Center, VLRCOE researchers develop rotary-wing vehicle technology that is very relevant to wind energy systems. Rotating composite blades and highly-stressed drivetrains are common to helicopters, ships, and wind turbines, and are critical elements from the points of view of performance, reliability, and noise. The multidisciplinary design, analysis, and testing of a wind turbine has more than superficial similarity to that undertaken for a flight vehicle. Data-driven loads analysis, integrated design analysis, appropriate factors of safety, and extensive testing are the keys to long-term reliability, and Penn State has expertise in each of those areas.
A partner in the Rotorcraft Center, Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) serves as a university center of excellence in defense science and technologies, with a focus on prototype demonstration systems.
Researchers from several parts of ARL have capabilities relevant to wind energy. These include the Energy Science and Power Systems Division, the Drivetrain Technology Center, the Composite Materials Division, and the Complex Systems Monitoring & Automation group. Brief descriptions of the capabilities of these organizations appear below.
The ARL Energy Science and Power Systems (ESPS) Division develops energy and power systems for government agencies and industry. ESPS researchers participate in research projects and forums that shape national policy on power and energy systems for underwater, atmospheric and space applications. Renewable energy, including wind, is a new thrust area for the ESPS Division, with the objective of being able to beneficially use wind energy as a component of larger distributed energy systems. Energy storage systems, such as battery, ultracapacitor, and flywheel systems represent another focus of ESPS activity.
The ARL Drivetrain Technology Center (DTC) pursues technological innovations that advance gear and transmission manufacturing processes, machine tools, production tooling, and related software. The DTC is the home of the U.S. Navy’s Metrology Laboratory for evaluating measurements related to gear accuracies. The associated Gear Research Institute (GRI) offers extensive test capabilities, and meets gear-related technological needs through research, development, and testing. Through the GRI, an industrial consortium functions to support a comprehensive pre-competitive industrial technology base for high-performance rotorcraft drivetrain materials used for gears, bearings, shafts, and other dynamic transmission components. This work is directly relevant to wind turbine drivetrains.
The ARL Composite Materials Division (CMD) is a leader in the development of structural composites technology for a broad range of applications. Thrust areas include: strength-based and fracture mechanics-based fatigue methodologies; life prediction models for complex geometries; low-cost fabrication for industrial structures; advanced ultrasonic inspection and in-situ acoustic emission monitoring; noise and vibration control; and thick laminate (>8”) fabrication. A concurrent engineering approach has resulted in numerous successful demonstrations of full-scale composite structures for numerous U.S. Navy and industrial programs. Researchers in the CMD can design, fabricate and test large composite structures relevant to wind turbines.
The ARL Complex Systems Monitoring & Automation (CSM) group pursues basic and applied research in technologies related to machinery health monitoring, diagnostics and prognostics for electromechanical systems. Prior applications include helicopter rotor diagnostics and ship-based gas turbine engines, both of which are quite relevant to wind turbine condition monitoring.