The Technical University of Denmark, DTU
ContactTechnical University of Denmark, DTUAnker Engelundsvej 1, 101 A 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark phone: +45 4525 2525 e-mail: dtu@adm.dk web: www.dtu.dk Risø DTU Wind Energy Department Erik Lundtang Petersen VEA-118 PO box 49 Frederiksborgvej 399 4000 Roskilde, Denmark phone: +45 4677 5001 fax: +45 4677 5083 e-mail: erik.lundtang@risoe.dk web: www.risoe.dk |
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In 2007, the former Risø National Laboratory became part of the Technical University of Denmark, DTU, under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. The research of the present Risø DTU covers a variety of scientific disciplines and technologies, but is mainly concerned with the development of economic and environmentally viable procedures and technologies for energy supply and consumption, and the development of health-related technology. Risø DTU employs a total of 750 staff, and the wind energy field occupies some 185 staff throughout the entire DTU, including PhD students.
The major part of DTU's wind energy activities are concentrated in Risø DTU's Department of Wind Energy and supplemented by a number of other departments. The Department of Wind Energy at Risø currently employs a staff of 110 people, 2/3 of whom are scientists and engineers. The department is organised in research units with attached technical and commercial services. Approximately 90 per cent of the department's activities are directly concerned with wind energy. Other fields of interest are atmospheric research, particularly into boundary layers and the atmospheric dispersion of matter. We seek to meet the needs for scientifically based knowledge, methods and procedures from government, the scientific community and the wind turbine industry.
Our research and development activities range from boundary layer meteorology, fluid dynamics and the mechanic as well as the dynamic quality of structures, to power and control engineering, risk analysis, materials and wind turbine loading and safety. They also include research into atmospheric physics and environmental issues related to the atmosphere.
Our assistance to the wind turbine manufacturers serves to pave the way for technological development and thus further the exploitation of wind energy worldwide. The means to this end are research, innovation, education, testing and consultancy services as well as development of procedures for operation and maintenance.
A significant proportion of our activities are on a commercial basis: Wind energy mapping, technology development, consultancy on wind energy projects and capacity building. Other commercial activities are software development, measurement systems development and accredited testing of wind turbines.
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Research groups involved
Altogether, some 185 staff are working with a wide range of wind energy projects as well as teaching at master and post doc level within the DTU wind forum.
At Risø DTU, wind energy activities are concentrated in the Department of Wind Energy, but the departments of Materials Research and Systems Analysis also contribute in this interdisciplinary work forum. In Systems Analysis the focus lies within economics, energy market life cycle analysis and wind turbine reliability (risk analysis), whereas the Department for Materials Research is engaged in the development, analysis and testing of materials for wind turbines and blades. The Department of Wind Energy currently employs a staff of 110 people, 2/3 of whom are scientists and engineers. The department is organised in research units with attached technical and commercial services. Approximately 90 per cent of the department's activities are directly concerned with wind energy. Other fields of interest are atmospheric research, particularly into boundary layers and the atmospheric dispersion of matter.
The Department of Wind Energy has the following research programmes:
| Meteorology | Experimental and theoretical boundary layer meteorology applied for: Models for real-time estimation of dispersion from point sources, modelling and measurement of surface exchange. Wind power meteorological methods for the estimation of wind resources, short-term wind prediction, wind characteristics and wind loads. |
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| Aero-elastic Design | Research, development and application of aero-servo-elastic programs, computational fluid dynamics code and software design tools for aerofoils, blades and wind turbines. Aero-elastic methods for the estimation of: Interaction between aerodynamics and the structure's elastic deformation and application in the design of conventional and new concepts for wind turbines, onshore as well as offshore. |
| Wind Turbines | Methods for wind turbine design basis and application studies: Probabilistic and empirical estimation of loads and safety, structural design and testing of components, assessment of performance, risks and feasibility, wind turbine certification. |
| Wind Energy Systems | Methods for estimation, optimisation and design in relation to: Control, adjustment and function monitoring, integration of wind power in supply systems and interaction with the power supply system, electric machines, hybrid systems, international consultancy. |
| Test and Measurements | Experimental methods for the estimation of wind resources and the characteristics of the wind and wind turbine response: Metrology, remote sensing, efficiency, loads, structural dynamics, stability, aerodynamics, acoustic emission. |
| Wind Turbine Testing | Research-based and internationally certified testing of wind turbines in relation to: Type approval, documentation and support to industrial development. |
| DTU Mechanical Engineering, Lyngby | Efficient exploitation of renewable energy sources; aerodynamics, aero-elasticity, aero-acoustics, computational and experimental fluid mechanics, offshore engineering, structural dynamics. |
| DTU Civil Engineering, Lyngby | Development of new materials for wind turbines and turbine blades. |
| DTU Informatics, Lyngby | Models and methods for the prediction of wind power, ensemble forecasts of wind power production, advanced model-based predictive controllers, combined forecasting and use of multiple meteorological forecasts, extreme value modelling and wind energy. |
| DTU Electrical Engineering, Lyngby |
Power electronics, grid connection, supply systems and electric power apparatus. The establishment of CET – Centre for Electric Technology – in a collaboration between DTU and the utility companies, is
aimed at the development of technology for the management of less centralised power systems. The Megavind partnership was initiated by the Danish government in 2007 in order to promote wind power as the leading energy form in Denmark. DTU plays a key role in this partnership which includes research institutions and the entire Danish Wind turbine industry. The Danish Wind Energy Research Consortium is a collaboration between the Technical University of Denmark – DTU, Aalborg University and DHI Water & Environment. The purpose of this forum is to enhance research and development in the field of wind energy utilisation. |
Facilities & Advanced Research Tools
| Høvsøre Test Station | HTS is a test facility for large wind turbines, located at the west coast of Jutland. A total of five test stands with a capacity of up to 5 MW each |
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| SysLab | Risø DTU's new laboratory for intelligent, active and distributed power systems, used for a wide range of investigations, such as how the operation of markets for power and ancillary services may be integrated by a decentralised approach to systems control. |
| Experimental Blade Research | A new facility for research-based experimental blade testing is established at Risø DTU. The test facility includes a multi-channel strain gauge and deformation sensor measurement system as well as a 3D digital optical deformation measuring system (ARAMIS) and will be used for investigations of the structural properties of turbine blades for up to 1.5 MW wind turbines. The first tests will commence in the spring 2008. |
| Power system Bornholm | The Danish island of Bornholm, just south of Sweden, has made its power distribution system available to experimental use as part of the PowerLab DK set-up. The system has approx. 28,000 customers, and the overall purpose of this project is to develop an improved electric power system with reduced carbon emission. The system will manage an increased share of renewable energy and distributed generation, enable an open market and secure the reliability of supply. The Bornholm system presently includes 30 MW wind power. |
| Risø Test Stands | A number of small research wind turbines at the Department of Wind Energy,
Risø DTU, used for conceptual testing and student projects. Six turbine stands
with a capacity of up to 500 kW each. WAsP code for the determination of wind resources WAsP Engineering determines design wind conditions A suite of modern meso-scale meteorological models Aero-elastic code HawC A series of aero-elastic and aero-acoustic codes Advanced wind speed measurements Advanced remote sensing methods (LIDAR and SODAR) Advanced wind turbine test methods Advanced wind farm simulation models Advanced electrical simulation models Advanced models simulation integrated energy system Advanced blade test methods Advanced material models |
| Electric Lab and High Voltage Lab | 3000 m2 general purpose laboratory for research in wind power components and systems. Include equipment for high voltage and current AC/DC, lightning test, power quality etc. |
R&D Strategy
The key areas of scientific expertise are boundary layer meteorology, aerodynamics, aero-acoustics, fluid and structural mechanics, electrical design and control as well as machine and construction technology. The scientific expertise is advanced through field experiments tests, laboratory tests and numerical modelling.
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| short | medium | long | |
| Meteorology (wind resources, observational and numerical wind atlas, design wind conditions, forecasting) |  | | |
| Aerodynamics and aerofoil design (Numerical wind tunnel) | | | |
| Aero-elasticity (aero-elastic modelling and verification) | | | |
| Structural dynamics | | | |
| Structural design (structural modelling and verification) | | | |
| Load and safety (for land and offshore) | | | |
| Electrical design and power quality assessment | | | |
| Wind power integration in the electrical power system | | | |
| Hybrid systems and high wind energy penetration | | | |
| Experimental methods (meteorology, wind turbine testing, remote sensing, blade performance analysis, power quality, safety) | | | |
Education and training activities
The Master of Engineering degree may also be obtained within the field of wind energy. Since 2002, DTU has offered a dedicated MSc in wind power with a choice of two specialisations: electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Further educational activities aim to support PhD, Master and Bachelor degrees within areas of relevance for wind power production, so that
- personnel who are qualified within the relevant areas of expertise may continue to be available to the wind energy industry.
- departmental research activities may be supported by Bachelor, Master and PhD student projects.
The Department of Wind Energy at Risø DTU currently participates in several national and international academies and networks, involving the exchange of and schools for PhD students and young researchers. We also carry out short-term educational activities in line with the department's expertise.
