Technical Review of the Paper Placement of Wind Turbines Using Genetic Algorithms by S.A. Grady, M.Y.

Hussaini and M.M. Abdullah

Submitted By: Ershad Ahmed Email: ershad@engin.umass.edu Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA - 01003

Submitted To: Dr. Sundar Krishnamurty

In Response To: Engineering Design Optimization Assignment Course #MIE 616 Date: 04/15/2011

This paper presents a method for determination of optimum positions of single wind turbines for maximum production capacity, while limiting the number of turbines installed, within the wind farms and the acreage of land occupied by each wind farm by employing a genetic algorithm approach. The study in largely based on an earlier study done by Mosetti et al [2]. The results are compared with the results from Mosetti et al., and show a substantial difference for which a possible explanation is provided. MODELING The wind turbine used in the analysis has the following properties- Hub height ! 60! Rotor radius !! !"# (!"# !"# !" !" !"!#$) else calculations do not add up Thrust coefficient !! 0.88 The modeling involves two criteria wake and cost modeling. The wake model used is similar to a simple model proposed by N.O. Jensen [3] in which the wake analysis is based on the assumption that momentum is conserved in the wake and when the near field behind the wind generator is neglected, the resulting wake can be treated as a turbulent wake or negative jet. The investment cost is modeled such that all the costs are equivalent to the total cost of the turbines. Following the assumptions made by Mosetti et al. in their study, the total cost is represented in equation form. Thus, the objective function of the optimization is: !"#$ !"#$%&'($ = !!"! Where, ! ! ! !"#$ = !(! + ! ! !!.!!"#$! ) From Mosetti et al. [2] !!"! - Total power extracted by N turbines in wind farm OPTIMIZATION & OPTIMIZATION TOOL Genetic algorithms are probabilistic search algorithms using techniques inspired by natural selection such as inheritance, mutation, selection and crossover, which determine the evolution of the solution. They are used as they are robust, global and do not require the existence of derivatives for search. The GEATbx: Genetic and Evolutionary Toolbox for MATLAB is employed in solving the current optimization problem for its ease of use and many advantages. It has a variety of extensions that are needed for optimization of real world problems. It is written in the open MATLAB language, which allows inspecting all demonstrations and functions [4]. METHOD The study investigates three cases -(a) unidirectional uniform wind with wind speed of 12 m/s, (b) 12m/s uniform wind with variable direction of 36 angles

of 10 increments from 0 to 360, and (c) non-uniform wind having speeds of 8, 12 and 17m/s with variable direction. In all cases, 600 individuals are spread over 20 subpopulations initially and evolve over 3000 generations except in case (c) where they evolve for 2500 generations. In this study, the computational domain employed is a square grid divided into 100 possible turbine locations. The turbine stands in the center of each cell, which has a width equal to five rotor diameters. This also follows the rule of thumb spacing requirements proposed by Patel [5] so that wake of a column of turbines does not affect turbines in an adjacent column. In case (a), the optimization can be reduced to one 10-cell column and projected across the domain, as wind conditions are constant. In case (b), the multi- directional wind complicates the process. Each angle receives equal probability of occurrence; hence it can be presumed that no direction will be preferred in the solution. In case (c), as visible from the wind fraction of occurrence v/s angle plot, the higher wind speed prevail at angles from 270 to 350. Hence, the solution will most likely lie along those directions and searching in that area can reduce computational time. RESULTS In each case the fitness, total power output, efficiency of power output and number of turbines for each configuration are tabulated against the results obtained by Mosetti et al. In case (a), the optimization for the lone column gives an optimal solution of three turbines in positions 1, 6 and 10 which produce 1431 kW/yr. Calculations for the full computational domain show a higher power output than that obtained by Mosetti et al., although the efficiency is slightly reduced. This can be attributed to the fact that Mosetti et al. did not run enough individuals for sufficient generations. In case (b), results from Mosetti et al. gave a solution that scattered turbines around the outer perimeter of the domain with few in the center and the results from the current study also showed a dominance on the outer perimeter but with twice the turbines. This increase in number is optimized (based on the objective function) as can be seen from the significantly lower fitness value, but the efficiency is decreased. In case (c), the power output and the turbines are twice the times predicted by Mosetti et al. This increase in the number of turbines significantly reduces the efficiency, which is very desirable. But the efficiency of power was never a parameter in the objective function of the problem and also the power increase justifies its sacrifice. It could be added as a constraint in future research. The highlight of the work is the significant reduction in function values in all the cases and the high power output in addition to the reduction in cost per unit of power produced, thereby satisfying the objective function, mainly by running enough individuals for sufficient generations.

REFERENCES & COMMENTS Mosetti et al. proposed in a study, a position optimization scheme based on a genetic algorithm where the investment cost and total power extracted were the variables optimized which is the basis of this paper. According to Patel, the optimal spacing is found in rows 8-12 rotor diameters apart in the windward direction, and 1.5-3 rotor diameter apart in crosswind directions, which was used as rule of thumb while dividing the computational domain in the current study. The Genetic and Evolutionary Algorithm Toolbox provides global optimization capabilities in MATLAB to solve real life problems. It has been extensively used by the authors of this paper in optimizing their problem. [1] Placement of Wind Turbines Using Genetic Algorithms by S.A. Grady, M.Y. Hussaini and M.M. Abdullah [2] Optimization of wind turbine positioning in large wind farms by means of a genetic algorithm by Mosetti G, Poloni C, Diviacco B [3] A Note on Wind Generator Interaction by N.O. Jensen. Roskilde, Denmark: Ris National Laboratory; 1983. [4] GEATbx: Genetic and Evolutionary Algorithm Toolbox for use with MATLAB, by Pohlheim H. [5] Wind and Power Solar Systems, by Patel M. R., Boca Raton: CRC Press; 1999.