Parametric Optimization of Combined Wind-Solar Energy Power Plants for Sustainable Smart City Development

Abstract

To minimize the existing risks associated with the energy production, distribution, and development of urban areas, the concept of sustainable development of smart manufacturing is being introduced everywhere. However, most of existing digital transformation technologies do not sufficiently take into account environmental, economic, and social components. It requires the development of specialized solutions that, on the one hand, contribute to the development of the urban environment, and on the other, are focused on the use of innovative technologies that have a positive effect on the environment. However, in order to provide electric power to objects of a smart urban environment, we propose using autonomous power plants with renewable energy sources (wind and sun) instead of classical central power supply. The article describes the benefits of using combined wind-solar power plants to provide electricity to smart urban environments. The article considers advantages and disadvantages of this solution. We describe the design of the combined wind-solar installation with a vertical Darier rotor and photoelectric converters located on a common supporting structure. This solution allows getting a positive synergistic effect from the use of several renewable energy sources. The presented main advantages of this solution include increasing the energy efficiency of photovoltaic converters due to the intensification of heat removal from the surface of solar cells by the wind flow from the Darier rotor. In addition, this article considers the efficient use of the area and stability of electricity output. Digital aerodynamic modeling performed the parametric optimization of the Darier rotor having three blades with NACA 0021profile. The simulation demonstrated that the blades installed at an angle of 3.8° provide the maximum value of the wind utilization coefficient. This article also considers parametric optimization of a photovoltaic installation. In particular, the optimal installation angle of photovoltaic modules for Sevastopol is 34°.