Thesis proposals
| TEST TYPE | TOPIC | TITLE | DESCRIPTION | ADVISOR/REFERENCE | NOTES | ATTACHED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Wave Energy Converters systematic modelling for techno-economic performance assessment | Wave energy converters (WECs), are expected contribute to the clean energy transition. Due to the diversity of installation sites, sea state conditions, and user requirements, a wide variety of working principles exist. Therefore, it may be difficult to fairly compare different WECs. An additional challenge is the mathematical modelling approach, seldom standardized, and the choice of appropriate comparison metrics. The purpose of this thesis, related to a project funded by the European Commission, is to implement a portfolio of different and most recent/popular WECs, focusing on producing comparable results, informative for the decision-making process. The following highlights and steps are foreseen: - Use the new industrial-standard simulation tool called WEC-Sim, considering 4 different WECs - Improve WEC-Sim models with optimal control, based on a recent toolbox, and compare the resulting performance with more traditional control strategies - Include a parametric description of costs to reach a techno-economic description of the device, and potential alternative design reconfigurations. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it nicolas.faedo@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Floating Solar Photovoltaic | Floating offshore solar photovoltaic systems: modelling and techno-economic assessment | Solar Photovoltaic (PV) has become one of the cheapest technology to produce renewable energy. However, among the challenges to a pervasive implementation there are the use of land, subtracted to other stakeholders. Floating PV systems are an interesting alternative, with additional benefits of water cooling and higher efficiency. While already advanced for small enclosed water basins, more innovative ambitious applications are offshore at sea. Within activities related to a project funded by the European Commission, this thesis aims at: - Implement a numerical model for the dynamics, structural integrity, and performance of floating offshore solar PV systems - Embed an appropriate parametrization to evaluate design alternatives for different installation sites - Define and evaluate techno-economic metrics related to the productivity, costs, and consequent livelised cost of energy | alberto.ghigo@polito.it giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis - potentially abroad | Tidal Energy Converters | Tidal energy converters: modelling and techno-economic assessment | Tidal energy is one of the most predictable sources of renewable energy, since it is related to astronomical cycles. Moreover, tidal energy turbines are among the most mature ocean energy technologies. However, the decision-making process necessitates of comparable techno-economic metrics, hence not only productivity, but also capital and operational costs. Within activities related to a project funded by the European Commission, this thesis aims at: - Implement a numerical model for the dynamics, structural integrity, and performance of tidal energy turbines - Embed an appropriate parametrization to evaluate design alternatives for different installation sites - Define and evaluate techno-economic metrics related to the productivity, costs, and consequent livelised cost of energy The thesis is developed, abroad or remotely, in collaboration with Dr. Christian Windt, research fellow at the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it c.windt@tu-braunschweig.de | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Wave Energy Converters control-informed shape optimisation: the influence of nonlinear hydrodynamic modelling | Wave energy converters (WECs), are expected contribute to the clean energy transition. Shape optimisation is crucial to obtain an effective design The effectiveness of the optimisation depends on the fidelity of the numerical model; however, accurate numerical models are usually too slow to fit within an optimisation loop. In addition, it is important to include, to some extent, an energy-maximisation control strategy early in the design and optimisation stage. This thesis aims to implement a computationally convenient numerical model, developed within an Horizon Europe Marie-Curie project and available in https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4682671, to study the impact of numerical model accuracy on shape optimisation. A simplified constrained energy-maximisation control strategy is embedded in the model. Firstly, a simple truncated cone is considered as archetypal shape; then, a more generic spline curve is considered as basis for the axysimmetric geometry of the WEC. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Parametric resonance in a 2:1 Wave Energy Converter: investigating the feasibility of the design space | The effort to increase the converted power is a common challenge in the field of wave energy conversion, both academic and industrial. When devices are found to be prone to parametric resonance, it typically has a negative impact on power harvesting and survivability. However, parametric resonance may not a danger to be avoided, but rather a chance to achieve a broader response bandwidth and ultimately increase the amount of power available at the power take-off. Parametric resonance is caused by a time-varying wetted surface, so linear models are unable to capture this instability; therefore, nonlinear Froude-Krylov forces should implemented via a computationally effective method that is compatible with both exhaustive simulation and real-time computing. A novel pendulum-based device is intentionally but arbitrarily defined to exhibit a 2:1 ratio between heave and pitch natural frequencies. Results demonstrate that, by using the designed attitude to develop parametric instability, a second region of meaningful response develops near the heave natural period, in addition to the linear resonance in pitch. Thus, the free response bandwidth is increased, making more energy available at the power take-off axis. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the design space in order to determine the conditions to actually achieve the 2:1 parametric resonance condition. Consequently, the performance and potential of feasible devices is analysed. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Nonlinear model of a floating wave energy converter for the international collaborative study EIA-OES Task 10 | The International Energy Agency Technology Collaboration Programme for Ocean Energy Systems (OES) initiated the OES Wave Energy Conversion Modelling Task, which focused on the verification and validation of numerical models for simulating wave energy converters (WECs). The long-term goal is to assess the accuracy of and establish confidence in the use of numerical models used in design as well as power performance assessment of WECs. To establish this confidence, the authors used different existing computational modelling tools to simulate given tasks to identify uncertainties related to simulation methodologies: (i) linear potential flow methods; (ii) weakly nonlinear Froude–Krylov methods; and (iii) fully nonlinear methods (fully nonlinear potential flow and Navier–Stokes models). The purpose of this thesis is to refine the expand the implementation of a computationally efficient nonlinear Froude-Krylov model, to be compared with experimental data obtained from the Aalborg Wave Tank. Wave excitation tests are first considered, with eventual expansion to free decay and wave excitation. Potentially, results may be compared with WEC-Sim implementation, performing mesh convergence and sensitivity tests. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the design space in order to determine the conditions to actually achieve the 2:1 parametric resonance condition. Consequently, the performance and potential of feasible devices is analysed. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Earth observation satellites for offshore wave and wind applications | The role of monitoring and data gathering in science and technology is continuously increasing. Within this context, the proposed research considers the use of earth observation satellites, especially in the field of ocean monitoring, needed for design and operation of offshore renewable energy systems. Satellite data have a wider spatial coverage with respect to in-situ measurements, but generally have low revisit time and inaccurate results close to shore. This thesis aims at investigating the performance, mainly in terms of accuracy and resolution, of satellite data, as well as their compatibility with offshore engineering applications, rather than climate change monitoring. In addition, satellite measurements will be compared with co-located in-situ data: a sensitivity analysis will include the influence of the distance threshold for the spatial co-location, and the time-window for the temporal co-location, which is related to the stationary of the underlying stochastic process. This thesis is performed in collaboration with MESPAC, which is a young innovative start-up, as well as spin-off of Politecnico di Torino. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | LPV modelling and control of wave energy conversion systems | In the pathway towards building control-oriented models for wave energy conversion systems, a number of potentially limiting standing assumptions are often adopted. These modelling hypothesis, which aim at simplying the dynamical description of the wave energy conversion system, inherently introduce a large degree of uncertainty in the control design problem. This project will explore the use of linear parameter varying (LPV) representations for WEC systems in order to achieve robust performance for controllers aiming at maximising energy extraction from the wave resource. LPV systems feature a closed-form representation of a system in terms of a set of scheduling parameters, offering the possibility of incorporating dynamical behaviour which is often neglected in purely linear models. | nicolas.faedo@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Data-based modelling of nonlinear hydrodynamics for wave energy conversion systems | Being the Navier-Stokes equations the starting point for wave energy conversion modelling, computing control oriented models can be a daunting task. As a matter of fact, recently, a particular class of wave-induced nonlinear effects has been deemed to be particularly relevant for controlled devices. This project will explore the use of data-based modelling for to compute parsimonious dynamical representations of WEC systems, based on mid-fidelity solvers. The resulting models will be used both for analysis and optimal control purposes. | nicolas.faedo@polito.it giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Model reduction by least-squares moment-matching for control of wave energy conversion systems | Being the Navier-Stokes equations the starting point for wave energy conversion modelling, computing control-oriented models can be a daunting task. As such, tools from the field of model reduction have been recently applied, to provide dynamical structures which feature a simplied form compatible with real-time control requirements, while still representing the main dynamics of the WEC system. This project will explore the use of model reduction techniques by moment-matching, in a least squares sense. Moment-matching-based models are essentially interpolating structures, which can match the steady-state output of a given target model, for a defined class of input signals. These reduced models have the capabilities of representing both short- and long-term WEC behaviour, being ideal for control and performance assessment purposes, respectively. | nicolas.faedo@polito.it fabio.carapellese@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Wave energy conversion | Parametric modelling of wave energy converters via data-based interpolation/extra olation | Since geometry can be a key parameter within optimisation of wave energy converter design, and standard modelling techniques are shape-dependent, fast and reliable numerical modelling for different geometries is of paramount importance to achieve effcient iterative loops for performance enhancement. In the light of this requirement, and based on finite-dimensional output data computed with standard hydrodynamic codes, this project will aim at providing interpolation-based techniques to tackle effcient wave energy converter modelling for use within optimisation procedures. Static and dynamic structures will be considered for interpolation (and extrapolation) of hydrodynamics, based on standard techniques from the field of function approximation. | nicolas.faedo@polito.it bruno.paduano@polito.it | See attachment | PDF description |
| Master thesis | Offshore wind | Artificial Intelligence for Offshore Wind | Descrizione Breve: The focus of the master's thesis is to create an artificial intelligence that can predict the dynamics of an offshore wind system under different marine weather conditions. The training of the artificial intelligence will be conducted using simulation data obtained from numerical simulations performed with dedicated software. After the training of the AI its accuracy will be tested and if necessary improved. The AI will be implemented in MATLAB environment. | francesco.niosi@polito.it oronzo.delledera@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | See attachment | AI for Offshore Wind |
| Master thesis | Wave and wind energy | Wave field interactions of very large wind/wave energy arrays | The thesis will consider the disturbance of wave energy converter arrays of offshore wind turbine farms on the surrounding wave field. The interaction theory will be used to overcome the computational limitations of very large arrays. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it francesco.niosi@polito.it beatrice.battisti@polito.it | ||
| Master thesis | Energy system modelling | Supporting the implementation of long-term energy system models: towards a Typical Energy Year approach | Multi-year energy system models are generally used to study the medium- to long-term transition to a clean and affordable energy supply. Nevertheless, time-series of power demand and renewable energy sources are generally maintained constant along the years, despite their considerable variation in real world. In this view, some approaches have been proposed to make use of the consolidated “Typical Meteorological Year”, which consists in the study of time-series over several past years and to the identification of representative months. However, such approach exclusively takes into account meteorological time-series. The thesis work aims to study the state-of-the-art of the above mentioned field and develop a new methodology for the identification of a “Typical Energy Year”, capable of highlighting the most suitable representative periods (e.g. months, weeks) taking into account the productivity of renewable energy sources and the variability of power consumption. The developed methodology will be applied to the case study of the energy transition of a small italian island. | enrico.giglio@polito.it giuliana.mattiazzo@polito.it | ||
| Master thesis | Energy system modelling | Wind energy instantaneous penetration: an optimization strategy | The share of renewable energy has increased in recent years, reaching almost 50% or even more in many countries. Consequently, the role of variable renewable energy sources (VRES) is also increasing, and to use this power storage systems are necessary to reduce the uncertainty associated with the variability of the sources. In fact, the intermittency in the production could lead to instability of the grid in terms of frequency and voltage, and the storage system acts as a buffer between the generation side and the load side. However, the storage system cannot be the only solution to the problem of variability of the RES. Rather, various optimization strategy can be used to increase the percentage of power that can be feed directly from the VRES technologies, without the need for a storage system. This work focuses on wind turbines and aims to show how developments in this technology have affected power variability and instantaneous penetration. Once the framework is clarified, a strategy will be developed to optimize the instantaneous share instead of just generating electricity. | enrico.giglio@polito.it giuliana.mattiazzo@polito.it | ||
| Master thesis | Wave and wind energy | Array design and livelised cost of energy of wave farms and offshore wind farms | The MORE-EST Wave and Wind Energy platform is a web-based tool that provides techno-economic evaluation of wave energy converters and offshore wind turbines in European waters. This thesis will advance the development of the platform, analysing appropriate array configurations, w.r.t. external constraints such as bathymetry and ship traffic, and estimate capital and operational expenditures, as well as productivity potential, for any given area of the European Seas. Knowledge of phyton and GIS is encouraged. Relevant material can be found in the DTOcean Plus project documentation. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it riccardo.novo@polito.it giulia.cervelli@polito.it | Electric Engineering Energy Engineering Mechatronics Mechanical Engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wave | Leveraging parametric resonance to enhance wave energy extraction. | A floating wave energy converter is a device that moves in response to incoming waves. Usually, only the linear resonance is condition is taken into account for the power maximisation. By using a computationally efficient nonlinear Froude-Krylov force calculation approach (doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4682671), nonlinear parametric resonance can be articulated and exploited to enlarge the energy absorption bandwidth. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechatronics Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering | |
| Master thesis | Floating islands | Development of a multi-body hydrodynamic interaction framework: Floating islands case study | The scope of the thesis concerns the technological development of interconnected floating platforms for residential use. The goal of the thesis activity is the development of mathematical and numerical models for studying the hydrodynamic interaction of interconnected floating platforms. Subsequently, optimization and preliminary design of modular housing platforms and their connections will be carried out. This thesis activity is part of the "Seaform" project studying the feasibility of creating communities on floating artificial islands (https://www.seaform.it/) | sergej.sirigu@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, mathematics Engineering, Physics of complex systems | |
| Master thesis | Floating islands | Numerical analysis and design of a connection system based on elastomeric material: floating islands case study | The scope of the thesis concerns the numerical study and design of a connection system based on elastomeric material for the connection of floating platforms for residential use. Objectives of the thesis are: - functional design of a connection based on elastomeric material - numerical modeling (FEM) of the elastomeric connection - mechanical design of the connection The thesis activity is part of the "Seaform" project, which studies the feasibility of creating communities on floating artificial islands (https://www.seaform.it/) | sergej.sirigu@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil engineering | |
| Master thesis | Floating islands | Numerical modelling and design of floating breakwaters | The thesis topic concerns numerical modeling and design of floating breakwaters for the protection of future floating cities. Objectives of the thesis are: - Development of the numerical model of floating breakwaters: hydrodynamic interaction and moorings - Definition of system performance - Optimization and design of the floating breakwater This thesis activity is part of the "Seaform" project, which studies the feasibility of creating communities on artificial floating islands (https://www.seaform.it/) | sergej.sirigu@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil engineering | |
| Master thesis | Floating islands | Design of a water ballast management system and its control for offshore floating structures | The topic of this thesis is the design of a water ballast management system for application on offshore floating structures. These systems consist of the presence of several water-containing ballasts within floating structures, the control of which allows the adjustment of the buoyancy of these structures. Objectives of the thesis are: - development of a mechatronic model for the simulation of the water ballast management system - study and synthesis of a control logic of such a system for the adjustment of the buoyancy of floating structures This thesis activity is part of the "Seaform" project, which studies the feasibility of creating communities on floating artificial islands (https://www.seaform.it/) | sergej.sirigu@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, mechatronics engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wave | Building a wave energy converter database for a GIS-based decision platform | A GIS-based decision platform is available for the optimal selection of wave energy converters in a given site, under a techno-economic point of view. This thesis aims at improving the technology database, by generating power production matrices via constrainted optimal control strategies, and investigating appropriate proxies or indicators for capital costs. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, mechatronics engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wind/Wave | Hydrodynamics modelling of wind-wave devices. | Inclusion of the computation of the hydrodynamic coefficients using the open-source Capytaine in the in-house code MOST for the simulation of floating wind turbines. | alberto.ghigo@polito.it emilio.faraggiana@polito.it massimo.sirigu@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | |
| Tesi Triennale | Wind | Resource assessment | The purpose of the thesis is to analyze the meteorological wave and wind data for an offshore site off the island Pantelleria. The aim is to estimate the wind productivity of the site and to understand the feasibility of floating offshore wind projects | alberto.ghigo@polito.it emilio.faraggiana@polito.it massimo.sirigu@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wind | Techno-economic analysis of floating wind turbine farm | Development of a numerical code which accounts a detailed computation of main economic cost of a floating wind turbine farm from a scientific literature research | alberto.ghigo@polito.it emilio.faraggiana@polito.it massimo.sirigu@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wind | Wind farm modelling | Development of a numerical code in MATLAB to account the effect of aerodynamic interactions between the wind turbines and estimate the power production (reference code: WASP). | alberto.ghigo@polito.it emilio.faraggiana@polito.it massimo.sirigu@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wind | Structural modelling of wind turbine blades | Structural modelling and mechanical stress analysis of a wind turbine blades using the open-source SONATA. | massimo.sirigu@polito.it emilio.faraggiana@polito.it alberto.ghigo@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | |
| Tesi Triennale | Wind | Life Cycle Assessment | The aim of the thesis is to describe the Life Cycle Assessment of a wind turbine, focusing in particular on the device dismantling and the recycling problem of blades | alberto.ghigo@polito.it emilio.faraggiana@polito.it massimo.sirigu@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | |
| Tesi Triennale | Wind | Wake analysis | Describe the problem of wakes in a wind farm: what are the consequences in terms of productivity? How are losses estimated ? What are the most common layout solutions to overcome this problem? | alberto.ghigo@polito.it emilio.faraggiana@polito.it massimo.sirigu@polito.it giovanni.bracco@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wave | Dynamic simulation of an innovative wave energy converter, based on gyroscopic effects | Development of a numerical model of the electro-mechanical conversion system, using Matlab and/or SimMechanics and/or WEC-Sim. Analysis of the productivity and parametric optimization of the most important features of the device. | giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it sergej.sirigu@polito.it fabio.carapellese@polito.it | Mechatronics Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering | |
| Master thesis | Wave | Dynamical analysis of an inertial wave energy converter | Thesis in Budapest, Hungary. More information at: https://www.mm.bme.hu/pages/temak/view_en.php?id=134 | habib@mm.bme.hu giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechatronics Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering | |
| Master thesis - Abroad | Wave/wind | Thesis 2 in/with Mondragón University | Thesis in Mondragón, Basque country, Spain. Structural integrity of Marine Renewable Energy Devices: Extreme loading See Attachment | mpenalba@mondragon.edu giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | Mondragon-Penalba-P2 |
| Master thesis - Abroad | Wave/wind | Thesis 3 in/with Mondragón University | Thesis in Mondragón, Basque country, Spain. Structural integrity of Marine Renewable Energy Devices: Fatigue effects See Attachment | mpenalba@mondragon.edu giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | Mondragon-Penalba-P3 |
| Master thesis - Abroad | Wave | Thesis 4 in/with Mondragón University | Thesis in Mondragón, Basque country, Spain. Wave Energy Converter Array Modelling via Harmonic Balance Methods See Attachment | mpenalba@mondragon.edu giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | Mondragon-Penalba-P4 |
| Master thesis - Abroad | Wind | Thesis 5 in/with Mondragón University | Thesis in Mondragón, Basque country, Spain. Hidro-Aerolaestic Modelling for +10 MW floating Offshore wind turbines: Evaluation of Uncertainties in wind turbulence intensity See Attachment | mpenalba@mondragon.edu giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | Mondragon-Penalba-P5 |
| Master thesis - Abroad | Wind | Thesis 6 in/with Mondragón University | Thesis in Mondragón, Basque country, Spain. Design of a health-informed hidro-aeroelastic model for Offshore wind turbines: Impact of blade erosion, gearbox and electrical generator faults See Attachment | mpenalba@mondragon.edu giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | Mondragon-Penalba-P6 |
| Master thesis - Abroad | Wave | Thesis 9 in/with Mondragón University | Thesis in Mondragón, Basque country, Spain. Nonlinear Hydrodynamic Modelling for the SparBuoy See Attachment | mpenalba@mondragon.edu giuseppe.giorgi@polito.it | Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering | GIORGI - Code-to-Code Nonlinear Hydrodynamic Modelling verification for WECs - WEC-Sim vs. NLFK4ALL - 2021 |
| Master thesis | Electric boat | Developing a static and dynamic Velocity Prediction Programm (VPP) for a zero emission raceboat | Nonlinear dynamics and optimization | mauro.bonfanti@polito.it | Aerospace Engineering | electric_boat_T1 |
| Triennale/Master | Software | Pipeline beetween a computational fluid dynamics software and Simulink for multiphysic simulation | software coupling for multiphysic simulation | pietro.casalone@polito.it | Informatic Engineering | Pipeline beetween a computational fluid dynamic software and Simulink for multiphysic simulation |
| Master thesis - Potentially abroad | Wave | High-fidelity Numerical Modelling of a Wave Energy Converter | Development of a numerical parametric wave tank for WECs in OpenFOAM | beatrice.battisti@polito.it | Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering | CFD_thesis_OF |