MADE3D: Enabling the next generation of high-torque density wind generators by additive design and 3D printing

Sethuraman, Latha; Vijayakumar, Ganesh; Ananthan, Shreyas; Paranthaman, M.; Keller, Jonathan; King, Ruth

doi:10.1007/s10010-021-00465-y

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Magnet geometries have been altered using Topology optimization methods by accurately controlling the material placement within a Cartesian mesh with element-wise variation of material density. 24,25 Level set approaches requiring no geometric parametrization have also been used. 26 Both techniques have demonstrated improvements to torque density with less rare earth material.…”

Section: Advanced Design Optimization For Realizing Complex Geometriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced multimaterial shape optimization methods as applied to advanced manufacturing of wind turbine generators

Sethuraman,

Glaws,

Skinner

et al. 2024

Wind Energy

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Currently, many utility‐scale wind turbine generator original equipment manufacturers are dependent on imported rare earth permanent magnets, which are susceptible to market risks from cost instability. To lower the production costs of these generators and stay competitive in the market, several small wind manufacturers are pursuing continuous improvements to both generator design and manufacturing. However, traditional design and manufacturing methods have yielded marginal improvements in wind power performance. This work presents novel methods to redesign a baseline 15‐kW wind turbine generator with reduced rare‐earth permanent magnets by leveraging cutting‐edge three‐dimensional (3D) printed polymer‐bonded permanent magnets and steel. Symmetric, asymmetric, and multimaterial‐magnet parametrization methods are introduced for shape optimization. We extend the symmetric and asymmetric methods to the back iron in the stator to further investigate the impact and opportunities for performance improvements with lesser active materials. We employ a design‐of‐experiments approach with parametric computer‐aided design for shape generation and evaluate different designs by magneto‐thermal modeling and finite‐element analysis. We use adaptive sampling technique to identify better performing designs with lesser magnet mass, higher efficiency, and lower cogging torque when compared with the baseline generator. Asymmetric pole designs resulted in a magnet mass in the range of 4.77–5.37 kg, which was 27%–35% lighter than the baseline generator, suggesting that a new design freedom exists that can be enabled by advanced manufacturing, such as 3D printing. Shaping the back iron in the stator resulted in material savings in electrical steel of up to 14.62 kg, which was 20% lighter than the baseline stator. We conducted a structural analysis to evaluate an optimized asymmetric rotor design from the point of view of mechanical integrity and air‐gap stiffness. The magnetically optimal shape profile was shown as having a positive impact on the radial stiffness, and an optimal solution was discovered to reduce the structural mass by nearly 30 kg, which was 29% lighter than the baseline.

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Section: Advanced Design Optimization For Realizing Complex Geometriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced multimaterial shape optimization methods as applied to advanced manufacturing of wind turbine generators

Sethuraman,

Glaws,

Skinner

et al. 2024

Wind Energy

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“…This article focuses on investigating the integration of SMC through AM in alternator cores for wind turbines operating under vortex-induced vibration (VIV) [21,22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

3D-Printed SMC Core Alternators: Enhancing the Efficiency of Vortex-Induced Vibration (VIV) Bladeless Wind Turbines

González-González,

Yáñez,

Hidalgo

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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This study investigates the application of soft magnetic composite (SMC) materials in alternator core manufacturing for bladeless wind turbines operating under the principle of vortex-induced vibration (VIV), employing additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. Through a comparative analysis of alternator prototypes featuring air, SMC, and iron cores, the investigation aims to evaluate the performance of SMC materials as an alternative to the most commonly used material (iron) in VIV BWT, by assessing damping, resonance frequency, magnetic hysteresis, and energy generation. Results indicate that while alternators with iron cores exhibit superior energy generation (peaking at 3830 mV and an RMS voltage of 1019 mV), those with SMC cores offer a promising compromise with a peak voltage of 1150 mV and RMS voltage of 316 mV, mitigating eddy current losses attributed to magnetic hysteresis. Notably, SMC cores achieve a damping rate of 60%, compared to 67% for air cores and 59% for iron cores, showcasing their potential to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of bladeless wind turbines (BWTs). Furthermore, the adaptability of AM in optimizing designs and accommodating intricate shapes presents significant advantages for future advancements. This study underscores the pivotal role of innovative materials and manufacturing processes in driving progress towards more efficient and sustainable renewable energy solutions.

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“…At the same time, new manufacturing methods such as additive Funding provided by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Wind Energy Technologies Office. manufacturing (AM) [4], and new design techniques [5] are emerging for electric machines. For instance, magnet shaping has been shown to improve torque quality and affect the average torque in some cases [6] [7], and with the design freedom that the AM process allows, it is worth re-exploring the design space.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Assessment of Additively Manufactured Bonded Permanent Magnets for a Distributed Wind Generator

Labuschagne,

Sethuraman,

Hanley

et al. 2023

2023 IEEE International Electric Machines &Amp; Drives Conference (IEMDC)

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MADE3D: Enabling the next generation of high-torque density wind generators by additive design and 3D printing

Cited by 4 publications

References 23 publications

Advanced multimaterial shape optimization methods as applied to advanced manufacturing of wind turbine generators

Advanced multimaterial shape optimization methods as applied to advanced manufacturing of wind turbine generators

3D-Printed SMC Core Alternators: Enhancing the Efficiency of Vortex-Induced Vibration (VIV) Bladeless Wind Turbines

An Assessment of Additively Manufactured Bonded Permanent Magnets for a Distributed Wind Generator

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