Smart Tip

Further increase in the size of wind turbine rotors is nowadays challenging, since loads increase more than the power. The goal of the project is ambitious, yet looking at all the diversity in wing tip design in both aerospace and nature, the project participants are very optimistic for a huge potential for innovation. The successful application of such innovative concepts has the potential to yield considerable more wind energy per year, supporting a blade retrofit business case, thus displacing millions of tons of CO2 each year, while creating new jobs and increased export revenue for Denmark. The tip region for wind turbines produces the most energy, loads and noise, yet the complex flow conditions there require sophisticated simulation tools. DTU Wind Energy and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy will combine their expertise and apply high-fidelity surrogate based optimization, wind tunnel and mechanical testing to develop multiple tip innovations and field test the most promising concept.