Investigation of material characteristics on 3D printing of vertical windmill blade using finite element methodABSTRACT
In order to fulfil rising energy demands and reduce pollutants in the environment, renewables are more crucial. Setting up communications again in the areas impacted requires easy alternate sources of energy after natural catastrophes. The handheld Vertical Axis Windmill Turbine can be used. FDM technique is believed to constitute over 70% of all 3D printing methods worldwide, popularly known as additive manufacturing, which has been prevalent in recent years. FDM is a technology that is based on the fact that the thermoplastic materials in the fiber are suddenly molten and connecting with the preceding layer. In this work (FEA), the stress analysis of PLA materials generated through the FDM-3B technology was investigated using the Finite Element method. In the ANSYS-FEA program, the material characteristics are specified. By comparing isotropic material with FDM-3D printed components, the findings were addressed in the literature. One of the most popular and frequently used techniques for the production of plastic components is FDM (Fuse Deposition Modelling). The study conducted comparisons of the efficiency of the turbine vertical axis Windmill. Conclusions about the practicality and viability of 3D wind turbines are drawn, and opportunities for additional development are emphasized.
Keywords:
Additive manufacturing; Finite element method; 3D printing; Vertical axis; Efficiency
1. INTRODUCTION
Growing energy and green engineering needs contribute to the rise in renewable energy output from solar, wind and hydro power resources. Wind power offers a huge potential to enhance efficiency and electricity production, whereas solar power is now the most commercially employed. In addition, wind turbines of the vertical axis will have tendency to output horizontal type wind turbines, although they are not attained its full possible capability. More study has been undertaken on commercial use of wind turbines with vertical axis. While windmills are not suitable for all areas, they benefit from the advantages of solar panels, because they are not sun-dependent.
In recent decade US department of Energy is involved with additive manufacturing of wind turbine blades with a budget of 6.7 million dollar. In 2019, a 134 inch diameter front fan turbine blade is manufactured by direct metal laser melting (3D printing) using cobalt chromium alloy which is on the world largest commercial jet engine Boeing’s 777x with GE9x engine.
With a fast evolving global environment and a desire to boost the country’s competitiveness in the manufacture of clean energy technologies by conducting research and innovation, more efficient technologies, the traditional blade manufacturing sector must push forward with advanced innovation. In the wind sector, 3D printing has the potential to speed up the production of turbine blade moulds.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
As contrast to subtractive manufacturing methodology [1], ASTM described additive manufacturing (AM) as “a technique in which items from 3D model data are generally produced layer by layer. In the globe there are several additive technology for manufacturing. 3D printers (3DP), electron- beam melting (EBM), Fusion Deposition (FDM), laser-based direct metal laser (DMLS), Direct Metal Deposition (DMD), laser melting technology, polymer jetting (Poly-Jet), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Stereo Lithography (SL) and selective laser melting are the world-famous AM technologies. AKSOY AND SELBŞ [2], analysed the production rate by wind turbine blade using machine learning algorithm and found 90% of production rate. Tratasys Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is a notable world’s most popular AM method for the production of low-cost pure plastic components, little waste and material change facility [3, 4].
DE TAVERNIER et al. [5], shows that Vortex Generators (VG) have significantly influences the changes in unsteady aerodynamic loads. The height and mounting position of this VG The fatigue life is also improved by the way of decreasing the dynamic stall. Sanne de Jong Helvig et al., studied the Reynolds stress and swirling strength on free Rotating Model (RM) of wind turbine and Non uniform Holes Disks (NHD). According to measurements of Particle-Image-Velocimetry (PIV), the RM indicates rise in magnitude of vorticity through the leading tip of wake which is affected by vortices of tip. In NHD, right behind the actuator disc, there was a high-intensity swirl [6].
MUHEISEN et al. [7], designed the multi Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) blades using Solid works and 3D printed using Polyactic acid. This model is compared with single axis turbine blade and found an increase in power coefficient of approximately 8% and adoption of fences in the design made it as 16% to power improvement. GUERRERO-VILLARA et al. [8], proposed a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) design through additive manufacturing using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). The surface finishing is found to be mainly affected by the layer thickness and different blades are inspected for roughness measurements and compared through printing time and material cost. HAYES et al. [9] explored the structural freedom on the additive manufacturing process of U-Beam spoke lattice design of generator. This design changes enables the reduced mass and increased strength. With respect to the lattice radial deflection and axial deflection, it is found to be 39% improvement in mass reduction.
ERMAKOVA et al. [10] reviewed the offshore contribution of an additive manufacturing instead of fossil fuels. The investigation is focussed on the view point of fatigue crack growth on monopole foundations of wind turbines which is conventionally by pure welding techniques that are need to be replaced by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) due to the fact of higher crack growth in pure welded monopoles.
Although horizontal turbines (HAWTS) are the main feature of the present market, VAWTS has demonstrated that they have the capacity to supply better energy or power density per land area. The wind farm’s power density can be 10 times higher than that of a HAWT wind farm. Due to VAWTS’ ability to be closer together than HAWTS, the increase in power density is high [11]. When one wind turbine becomes too close to another, its airflow is disrupted, affecting power generation. The positioning of wind turbines is crucial to enhance power generation, but only when turbines are close to one another. The key selling feature is single turbine efficiency, particularly in private uses and urban environments.
As previously noted, the project intends to create a small-scale VAWT intended for urban application, for instance, for sensors on bridges and roadways [12]. In other words, the planned turbine was around 30 cm in height and roughly 16 cm in length. Moreover, polymers from 3D printing were required for the early prototypes. 3D printing makes prototyping easier, but the thickness of the layers has become a problem. While building the FEA model, future physical testing was taken into account to guarantee that the results could be verified with great confidence. Traditional vertical wind turbine designs were conducted in this investigation. Then 3D printing technology was used to produce wind turbines. Comparisons of the efficiency of wind turbines on the vertical and horizontal axes were conducted in the research.
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Initial mechanical characteristics of the samples were carried out by using Tronxy XY-2 FDM type Figure 1 open source printing material from Polylactic Acid (PLA). The technical features and constant parameters of the 3D printer are shown in Table 1.
The study consists of both vertical axis and horizontal wind axis models of wind turbine. PLA+, a thermoplastic polymer, was used to construct the proposed turbines. VAWT has produced a unique design modelling. The HAWT was utilized as a traditional wind turbine type. The two wind turbine models have been developed using Solid Works, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. For printing on a 3D printer, the created models have been converted to an STL. The models translated into STL formats were cut to CURA and sent for printing to the Tronxy XY-2 printer.
4. RESULTS
Several loading systems were examined and investigated for a FEA test to estimate the load undergoing a lift-driven VAWT. Due to conjecture and consultation of various sources, it was established that if the turbine stalled and all blades were pressurized on the surface of thunder (lifting force) the worst situation for maximal loading with fatigue would occur [13,14,15] although this is not the most typical situation, the turbine might withstand interference at different velocities. The shaft root was restricted by all linear directions using boundary conditions, which is employed 3D solid elements that did not require rotational restrictions and these elements generated a comparable situation to a stopped rotor in conjunction [16, 17].
FEA analytic / geometry assumptions:
Solid 3D components fixed in rotation.
Blading and shaft are both yet same construction.
Blade profile has yet to made easier for symmetry or axisymetry.
Blading geometry has been reduced to eliminate difficulties related to mounting system and turbine shaft contact.
Blade and non-mounting systems have been focused on Stress analysis and displacement analysis.
4.1. Stress analysis
For static loading, simulation research showed a link between the blade profile and its orientation in order to establish the load pattern of each blade. The purpose of this work is to lay the groundwork for various blade profiles by determining the force and stress distributions, as well as the rigor of the geometries. The biggest stress is on the vertical windmill blades. This suggests that it is not as structural as the MS plates that the horizontal blades are geometrically sound. Examples of stress profiles are shown in Figure 3.
4.2. Displacement analysis
The vertical axis windmill turbine displacement study (Figure 4). In order to less the drag but increase the ratio of ligation to drag without compromising the structural stability of the blades, vertical windmill blades were made. When comparing the horizontal blade of the windmill, it was found that the blades with the vertical windmill were less stressful and less stressful. This has shown that the tubercles have not lost any structural strength the same applies to the horizontal windmill, expanded vertical blades. The maximum strain of the vertical windmill blades increased somewhat when the maple blades were compared. Successful. However, most vertical blades showed reduced displacement. A reduction was seen. These modifications have also been modest. Should FEA simulations reveal a gain in elevation and decrease in drag, it is sufficient that adjustments take into account the success of the vertical windmill blades.
5. DISCUSSION
5.1. Output voltage and current
At various wind speeds, the computations of the HAWT and the VAWT turbines differed. The current and voltage levels withvarious wind speeds are illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The level of current and voltage, wind speed rose considerably after 45 km/h.
The design and manufacture of vertical and horizontal wind turbines was carried out. A cascade type porous is first developed by the vertical wind turbine. The standard design of the vertical turbine has been sketched. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the output voltage and current of the turbines HAWT and VAWT at various wind incidence angles [18, 19]. The VAWT’s maximum output voltage was obtained here at the wind incidence angles of 45 degrees and 90 degrees. Average output voltage value is achieved in HAWT turbine types, independently of the wind incidence angle. With a wind incidence angle approaching 0 and 180° in turbine types, the voltage and current values were higher.
6. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK
The design concept of wind turbine blades, analysis through stress and displacement were presented in this work. Due to the requirement for a tiny wind turbine for applications in urban areas, the design shown in this article was the actual size of the wind turbine. 3D printing is produced without any problems for pore transition vertical wind turbines. The FEA analysis of wing geometry application on wind turbine blades has been revealing. Wind turbine blades were shown to have structural strength comparable and in many cases stronger with capability to withstand wind speeds of up to 45 km/h. Although the tension of the blades increased, the deflection reduced in majority of the blades. It has been observed that, independent of direction and direction of the wind turbine, the wind turbine produces a current and voltage increase. The results demonstrate that the diversified and analyzed more parametric design and twisting angle of the wind mill blade for improving optimisation and efficiency. The future work focuses to test the feasibility with different materials for the same design with view point of fatigue life of turbine blades. The different materials considerably vary with type of Additive Manufacturing (AM) also and accordingly the test conditions will be assigned based on the processing methodologies.
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