On the Integrity of Large-Scale Direct-Drive Wind Turbine Electrical Generator Structures: An Integrated Design Methodology for Optimisation, Considering Thermal Loads and Novel Techniques

With the rapid expansion of offshore wind capacity worldwide, minimising operation and maintenance requirements is pivotal. Regarded as a low-maintenance alternative to conventional drivetrain systems, direct-drive generators are increasingly commonplace for wind turbines in hard-to-service areas. To facilitate higher torque requirements consequent to low-speed operation, these machines are bulky, greatly increasing nacelle size and mass over their counterparts. This paper therefore details the structural optimisation of the International Energy Agency 15 MW Reference Wind Turbine rotor through iterative Parameter and Topology Optimisation and the inclusion of additional structural members, with consideration to its mechanical, modal, and thermal performances. With temperature found to have a significant impact on the structural integrity of multi-megawatt direct-drive machines, a Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis was carried out to map the temperature of the structure during operation and inform a consequent Finite Element Method analysis. This process, novel to this paper, found that topologically optimised structures outperform parametrically optimised structures thermally and that integrated heatsinks can be employed to further reduce deformation. Lastly, generative design techniques were used to further optimise the structure, reducing its mass, deformation, and maximum stress and expanding its operating envelope. This study reaches several key conclusions, demonstrating that significant mass reductions are achievable through the removal of cylinder wall geometry areas as well as through the implementation of structural supports and iterative parametric and topology optimisation techniques. Through the flexibility it grants, generative design was found to be a powerful tool, delivering further improvements to an already efficient, yet complex design. Heatsinks were found to lower generator structural temperatures, which may yield lower active cooling requirements whilst providing structural support. Lastly, the link between the increased mass and the increased financial and environmental impact of the rotor was confirmed.