Performance assessment of a rigid wing Airborne Wind Energy pumping system. (15th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Licitra, G.; Koenemann, J.; Bürger, A.; Williams, P.; Ruiterkamp, R.; Diehl, M.
• Is Part Of: Energy. Volume 173(2019)
• Page Start: 569
• Page End: 585
• Publication Date: 2019-04-15
• Subjects: Airborne Wind Energy -- Flight trajectory optimization -- Differential algebraic equations; Power resources -- Periodicals; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy consumption -- Periodicals; 333.7905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.02.064
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-5442

Abstract

Abstract: This paper presents an Optimal Control Problem (OCP) tailored to assess the system performance of a rigid wing Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) pumping system prior to real flight tests. The proposed method is validated against experimental data obtained using a small prototype designed by the Dutch company Ampyx Power B.V. Within such analysis, it is shown that a non-optimized closed-loop flight control system can generate power to within 10% of the open-loop optimal flight trajectories. Additionally, results demonstrate that the system efficiency does not depend on the trajectory topology, though a significant change in terms of trajectory shape is observed for different wind speeds as a result of trajectory constraints. Highlights: The average power output is not sensitive with respect to the trajectory shape. The power curve can be obtained prior to real flight test experiments. The proposed method is validated via real flight test experiments. Circular trajectories are compared against lemniscate trajectories. Optimized flight trajectories change significantly for different wind speeds.