Parametric optimization of steel shell towers of high-power wind turbines

Abstract

This paper presents a parametric optimization task of steel conic shell towers of wind-powered generators. The minimum weight of the steel tower has been considered as purpose function when produced capacity of the wind-powered generators has been fixed at the target level. The tower’s height, diameters of the middle surface of the tower’s conic shell at the base level and at a height if the wind turbine installation, thicknesses of the tower’s conic shell, and also the diameter of the wind wheel were considered as design variables. The wind loads applied on steel shell tower have been presented in dependence of design variables and considered as state variables. The optimization problem formulated as non-linear programming task has been solved by improved gradient method. Optimum design decisions of the steel conic shell towers for the wind-powered generators with produced capacity of wide range have been defined. An optimum tower’s height and weight in dependence of produced capacity of wind-powered generators have been plotted.