Working in conjunction with a Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) mechanical engineering major qualifying project (MQP) team, our civil engineering team worked to design the structural components of a vertical axis wind turbine based on a preliminary design created by architect Emil Jacob, founder of WindRays Energy and our project sponsor. Our team was tasked with the structural design of the blades, turbine shaft, exterior supporting shell, and foundation based on said initial architectural design. The mechanical and structural teams’ findings and recommendations prompted various alterations of the initial structural design. For this project, our team analyzed the loading conditions the structure would experience, researched structural material properties, and performed structural analysis under the expected loading conditions to determine the ideal structural members. We analyzed deflections, buckling, and member failure based on these expected loading conditions. Based on these results and calculations, our team recommended alterations to the initial design informing the sponsor of the respective strengths and weaknesses.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• MacDonald, Joseph
• Weston, Ian
• Davidson, Bryan
• Salvatori, Andrew

Subject

• Energy
• Innovation
• Sustainability
• Infrastructure

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 53521
• E-project-032422-121419

Keyword

• Renewable Energy
• Windmill
• Sustainability

Advisor

• Sabuncu, Ahmet Can
• Rahbar, Nima

Year

• 2022

Sponsor

• Emil Jacob

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
• 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Date created

• 2022-03-24

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Civil Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright