Jamal Schwark

Physikalisches Institut

Thursday, May 07, 2026, 14:00 - 15:00

Room 01-012, Georges-Köhler-Allee 102

Abstract: Airborne Wind Energy Systems (AWES) can exploit higher wind speeds than conventional wind turbines while requiring lower material costs. Various AWES concepts have been investigated in numerous projects worldwide. This thesis analyzes a Rotary Airborne Wind Energy System (RAWES), consisting of an airborne rotor connected to a ground station via a tether. By reeling out the tether, mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. Efficient operation requires precise control of the system in order to maximize power generation and ensure safe operation. The system dynamics are modeled using Lagrangian mechanics, including a holonomic constraint to represent the tether and its associated forces. The considered RAWES allows for (cyclic) variation of the blade pitch angles to control its attitude. Based on this mechanism, a controller is designed to determine the required pitch inputs for directional flight. Simulation results show that the controller is able to generate the desired flight directions in the absence of external wind disturbances. However, in the presence of wind, the control input is insufficient to compensate for the perturbations. Therefore, the proposed controller is not suitable for practical applications but represents a first step towards the control of RAWES.