Position Start Date : Subject to Availability
Application Deadline : Open Until Filled
Job Categories : MS Position
Contact : [email protected]
Description:
This thesis aims to develop an integrated framework for three-dimensional wind farm co-design. By jointly optimizing horizontal turbine layouts, hub heights and yaw control, we will assess how coordinated design and operation can improve energy production while accounting for construction costs and structural loading. Representative wind farm case studies will quantify these benefits and provide guidance for future wind farm design.
Building on our existing wind farm model for velocity-field prediction, you will work with Dr. Xiao Hu, Dr.Haohua Zong and the WiRE research team to develop and apply this framework. The thesis will involve the following tasks:
- Integrate construction cost models from previous WiRE studies, including tower and foundation costs associated with variable hub heights.
- Develop and assess a simplified loading model using predicted rotor inflow conditions.
- Develop and evaluate optimization algorithms for the coupled layout, hub-height and yaw-control problem, potentially using surrogate models. Apply the framework to representative wind farms to assess energy yield, cost and loading.
We offer you
1) An existing PVT wake model and optimization tools as a starting point.
2) Guidance in wind farm physics and opportunities to develop advanced optimization methods.
Your qualities
- Strong programming skills in Python or MATLAB and experience implementing numerical algorithms.
- A good foundation in optimization, with practical experience implementing and evaluating optimization algorithms.
- Experience with machine learning, surrogate modelling or Bayesian optimization is highly desirable; an interest in wind energy is essential.
Expected outcomes
- An integrated optimization tool connecting wake prediction, construction costs and loading.
- Wind farm case studies quantifying the benefits of three-dimensional optimization.
- Guidance for future wind farm design, alongside practical modelling and optimization experience.
- Contribute to research with the ambition of publication in a high-impact international journal.
For further information or to express your interest in this thesis, please contact:
Dr. Xiao Hu
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Haohua Zong
Email: [email protected]
Prof. Dr. Fernando Porté-Agel
Email: [email protected]
Wind Engineering and Renewable Energy Laboratory (WiRE), EPFL