CFD-based WFLO

Optimization framework for designing wind farms using computational fluid dynamics.

---

A description of the framework can be found in the following papers:

Enrico G.A. Antonini, David A. Romero, Cristina H. Amon. "Continuous adjoint formulation for wind farm layout optimization: A 2D implementation", Applied Energy, 2018;

Enrico G.A. Antonini, David A. Romero, Cristina H. Amon. "Optimal design of wind farms in complex terrains using computational fluid dynamics and adjoint methods", Applied Energy, 2020.

If you need a copy of the papers, please email me at eantonini@carnegiescience.edu

Required software

OpenFOAM 6 (https://openfoam.org/release/6/), NLopt (https://nlopt.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), Python and Open MPI need to be installed as they are fundamental components of the framework.

To compile the optimization code

• >> cd ./Codes
• >> make

It will generate the following files:

• CDGradientCalculation (to calulate the gradient using a central difference scheme - not needed for the optimization using adjoint methods)
• GradientCalculation (to calulate the gradient using the adjoint method)
• PowerCalculation (to calulate the annual energy production)
• SLSQP (optimizer)

If you need to manually specify OpenFOAM or MPI binary file paths, go to lines 797-799 of ./Codes/Source/Simulation.cpp and modify the strings as needed.

• OFdir = OpenFOAM binary files (for example, "$WM_PROJECT_DIR/platforms/linux64GccDPInt64Opt/bin/")
• OFUdir = OpenFOAM user binary files (for example, "$WM_PROJECT_USER_DIR/platforms/linux64GccDPInt32Opt/bin/")
• MPIdir = MPI binary files

To compile OpenFOAM applications

Enter in each of the application folders and run wmake. Detailed instructions can be found here https://cfd.direct/openfoam/user-guide/v6-compiling-applications/

To run the code

• >> mkdir TestCase
• >> cp ./InputExample/* ./TestCase/.
• >> cp ./Codes/GradientCalculation ./Codes/PowerCalculation ./Codes/SLSQP ./Codes/RemapTerrain.py ./Codes/RemapTurbines.py ./TestCase/.
• >> cd ./TestCase
• >> ./SLSQP