In evaluating the thermal energy demand in buildings by using TRNSYS software, weather data are necessary to optimise the implementation location of a new building. The weather data are obtained from in-field measurements, using a weather station, or by using simulated data obtained using the dedicated software, e.g. METEONORM.The paper aims at investigating the influence of measured/simulated meteorological data on an accurate evaluation of the thermal energy demand in buildings. Further on, the paper discusses a case study for a building in Transilvania University of Brasov, located in a mountain, urban area

Increasing the efficiency of wind power conversion into electricity poses major challenges to researchers and developers of wind turbines, who are striving for new solutions that can ensure better use of local wind potential in terms of both feasibility and affordability. The paper proposes a novel concept of wind systems with counter-rotating wind rotors that can integrate either conventional or counter-rotating electric generators, by means of the same differential planetary speed increaser, aiming at providing a comparative analysis of the energy performance of counter-rotating wind turbines with counter-rotating vs. conventional electric generators. To this end, a generalized analytical model for angular speeds and torques has been developed, which can be customized for both system configurations. Three numerical simulation scenarios have been contrasted: (a) a scenario with identical wind rotors in both systems, (b) a scenario with the secondary wind rotors being identical in the two applications, but different from the primary rotors, and (c) a scenario with different secondary rotors in the two wind turbines. The results have shown that the wind systems with counter-rotating generator are more efficient and have a higher amplification ratio, compared to systems with conventional generators. In addition, the analyzed wind system with a counter-rotating generator displays better energy performance with low values for output power and ratio of input speeds, whereas the wind turbine with a conventional generator proves to be more efficient in the high-value range of the above-mentioned parameters.

A specific problem of the wind turbines refers to the difference between the low rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor and the high rotation speed needed for the electrical generator. Usually, the adaptation between the speed of the turbine rotor and the electrical generator speed is achieved by means of a speed increaser. A recent alternative relates to the use of coaxial counter-rotating wind turbines, which can achieve higher power and improve the conversion efficiency of the wind energy into electrical energy (up to 25%) with a reduced cost of approx. 20-30% compared to similar single rotor turbines. Conceptually, the counter-rotating wind turbine systems can integrate a particular generator wherein the rotor is coupled to a row of blades and the stator with another row of blades, or a commonly generator, coupled to a differential planetary gear, that allows the summation of the blades motions.The paper describes and analyzes kinematic and dynamic aspects of a system consisting of two coaxial counter-rotating turbines and a generator, interconnected by a planetary gear with two inputs (the two turbines) and an output (the generator). The algorithm is based on the property of the differential planetary gear of adding two input motions into one output motion. The kinematic and dynamic parameters of the planetary gear are established in the paper, and a case study is further presented: a small wind turbine equipped with a transmission enabling input speed multiplication.

The improvement of wind turbine performance poses a constant challenge to researchers and designers in the field. As a result, the literature presents new concepts of wind turbines (WTs), such as: counter-rotating wind turbines (CRWTs) with two coaxial wind rotors revolving in opposite directions, WTs with higher-efficiency and downsized transmission systems, or WTs with counter-rotating electric generators (CREGs). Currently, there are a few solutions of WTs, both containing counter-rotating components; however, they can only be used in small-scale applications. Aiming to extend the use of WTs with counter-rotating wind rotors (CRWRs) and CREGs to medium- and large-scale applications, this paper introduces and analyzes a higher-performance WT solution, which integrates two counter-rotating wind rotors, a 1 degree of freedom (DOF) planetary speed increaser with four inputs and outputs, and a counter-rotating electric generator. The proposed system yields various technical benefits: it has a compact design, increases the output power (which makes it suitable for medium- and large-scale wind turbines) and allows a more efficient operation of the electric generator. The kinematic and static computing methodology, as well as the analytical models and diagrams developed for various case studies, might prove useful for researchers and designers in the field to establish the most advantageous solution of planetary speed increasers for the CRWTs with CREGs. Moreover, this paper extends the current database of WT speed increasers with an innovative concept of 1 DOF planetary gearbox, which is subject to a patent application.