Paul Thedens

Delft University of Technology | TU · Department of Aerodynamics, Wind Energy, Flight Performance and Propulsion (AWEP)

Similar to parafoils, ram-air kites are flexible membrane wings inflated by the apparent wind and supported by a bridle line system. A major challenge in estimating the performance of these wings using a computer model is the strong coupling between the airflow around the wing and the deformation of the membrane structure. In this paper, we introdu...

The airborne wind energy (AWE) technology aims to utilise tethered wings to harvest wind energy at altitudes conventional wind turbines cannot reach. There are two distinct methods to harvest airborne wind energy: onboard and ground-based generation. The onboard generation is achieved through flying fast manoeuvres driving propellers attached to th...

Computational simulation of the aerodynamics of a ram-air kite for airborne wind energy applications

Computational simulation of the aerodynamics of a ram-air kite for airborne wind energy applications

Airborne wind energy (AWE) is a novel renewable energy technology for harvesting wind energy by using kites. Compared to conventional wind turbines, the AWE systems use a lightweight structure which can reach higher altitudes where the winds are stronger and more persistent. In this work, we study the steady-state aerodynamics of a ram-air kite sec...

We present a multidisciplinary design optimization method for the profile and structural reinforcement layout of a ram-air kite rib. The aim is to minimize the structural elastic energy and to maximize the traction power of a ram-air kite used for airborne wind energy generation. Because of the large deformations occurring during flight, a fluid-st...

We present a multidisciplinary design optimization method for the profile and structural reinforcement layout of a ram-air kite rib. The aim is to minimize the structural elastic energy and to maximize the traction power of a ram-air kite used for airborne wind energy generation. Because of the large deformations occurring during flight, a fluid-st...

Membrane structures have a wide field of application in modern engineering due to their low weight-to-area ratio, which is especially exploited in kite design. The internal pressure of ram-air kites has to be well distributed over all cells in order to maintain the aerodynamic shape. By cutting holes in each rib the stagnated air can provide the re...