Centre of excellence of wing system simulation and wind tunnel verification

FuE-Zentrum FH Kiel GmbH is setting up a centre of excellence for the investigation of aerofoil flow in near-surface atmospheric boundary-layer flows, such as those occurring at wind power plants and on sailing yachts. The project is supported by the Land Government of Schleswig-Holstein with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and run until September 2008.

Wind power plants and sailing yachts, are both subject to a natural incident flow that is characterised by variable vertical speed and direction. Optimisation of aerofoil flow profiles subject to such incident flows places special demands on the investigation methods. The centre of excellence aims to develop such a closed system engineering research method. This research method will incorporate modern simulation technologies (CFD) as well as experimental methods.

Bild von Windkraftanlagen auf einer Wiese mit Schafen daneben das Meer

The aim of the investigation and the underlying support measure is to supply aerodynamic studies of this kind as a service to industry. This constitutes a classic technology transfer service. The know-how required for the conduct of the study is available in a specific form at the Institute for Shipbuilding and Marine Technology of the Kiel University of Applied Sciences. Hydromechanical studies of a similar nature have been conducted at this institute for several years and have been successfully marketed by FuE-Zentrum FH Kiel GmbH. An application for funding has been made for this study, and its aim of marketing aerodynamic research as an engineering service arises directly from the studies previously carried out.

FuE-Zentrum FH Kiel GmbH has concentrated its activities in yacht technology within the Yacht Research Unit Kiel , which forms a module of the centre of excellence. It will serve as an immediate link between sail sports and sailing technology. The core task of the Yacht Research Unit Kiel is to investigate flow profiles that use wind energy to generate propulsion or electric power – for example, in sailing yachts and wind energy conversion systems. The centre of excellence will conduct experimental research using a wind tunnel, as well as numerical research using computer-simulated flow. Funding has been used to build a twist-flow wind tunnel (TF wind tunnel), operational since the beginning of 2006. This type of wind tunnel creates the vertically varying wind speed and flow direction that an aerofoil is subjected to when it moves obliquely to the prevailing wind.

The centre of excellence is led by Dr. Kai Graf, Professor at the Institute for Shipbuilding and Marine Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Kiel University of Applied Sciences.

For more information and insight into the centre of excellence can be found on the website "CE WindEnergy SH" Zur Webseite