UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (Diya TV) — Indian-origin graduate student Divya Tyagi at Pennsylvania State University has made a breakthrough by streamlining a century-old mathematical problem, which could transform the design of wind turbines. Her research eased the complex theories developed by British aerodynamicist Hermann Glauert and made them more practical for use in today’s applications.
Glauert’s initial work was aimed at optimizing the power coefficient, a proportion of a wind turbine’s efficiency in power conversion from wind to electricity. His work didn’t take into consideration the entire force and moment coefficients exerted on the rotor or the effect of wind pressure on turbine blades, especially how they sag under pressure. Tyagi’s work bridges the loopholes, providing a more holistic approach to wind turbine optimization.
“I formulated an extension of Glauert’s problem which calculates the optimal aerodynamic performance of a wind turbine by finding the optimum flow conditions for a turbine to maximize its power production,” Tyagi said.
Sven Schmitz, Tyagi’s co-author and adviser, also emphasized the importance of her contribution. “Glauert’s original work only focused on maximizing the power coefficient. However, it did not account for the entire load on the rotor or blade bending due to wind pressure.
Divya’s solution, developed using the calculus of variations, is incredibly straightforward yet robust formulation, allowing for constrained optimization and permitting researchers to easily investigate new facets of wind turbine design,” Schmitz explained.
Tyagi’s work, as her undergraduate thesis, has also been published in the journal Wind Energy Science. She is studying for her master’s degree while carrying out revolutionary research in the field of computational fluid dynamics to enhance helicopter flying simulations and airplane safety, courtesy of the U.S. Navy.
Schmitz appreciated Tyagi’s perseverance in solving this complicated problem. “When I considered the Glauert problem, I felt there were missing steps and it was very complex. There must have been a simpler way of doing it. Divya was the fourth student I dared to challenge looking at it, and she was the only one who accepted it. Her work is amazing,” he said.
This breakthrough has potential for the future generation of wind turbines, which could result in more effective and durable designs. Schmitz thinks Tyagi’s beautiful solution would end up in classrooms nationwide and globally, having an impact on future research and applications in wind energy.
Tyagi’s success not only emphasizes the need to re-examine and perfect proven theory but also points toward the potential of creative solutions in solving modern renewable energy problems.
