STM Journals Peer-reviewed research from Consortium e-Learning Network

Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research Special issue

AI-Assisted Design and Theoretical Aerodynamic Evaluation of a Multistage Conical Diffuser Micro Wind Turbine Fabricated from Polymeric Composites

  1. Ajai Vaidyanathan H. Department of Electronics and Electronics Engineering, Dhanalakshmi College of Engineering, Chennai
  2. Ravikumar S.M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vandayar Engineering College, Thanjavur
  3. Adinarayanan A. Department of Mechanical Engineering, AMET University, Chennai
  4. Arul M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, ARM College of Engineering and Technology
  5. Yuvaraj N. Department of Computer Science Engineering, Adhi College of Engineering, Kanchipuram
  6. Dinesh S. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dhanalakshmi College of Engineering, Chennai
  7. Ida G. Department of Chemistry, New Prince Shri Bhavani College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai
  8. Sharmila S. Department of Computer Applications, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Echanaari, Coimbatore

Abstract

The rising demand for compact, lightweight, and high-efficiency renewable energy systems has accelerated the development of micro wind turbines capable of delivering stable performance under low wind conditions. Traditional bare-rotor micro turbines suffer from limited aerodynamic efficiency, motivating the adoption of diffuser-augmented architectures and advanced polymer-based composite materials. This study presents the AI-assisted conceptual design and theoretical aerodynamic evaluation of a multistage conical diffuser micro wind turbine fabricated using a polymer-reinforced hybrid composite structure to achieve enhanced stiffness-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and structural durability. A three-stage conical diffuser integrated with co-axial rotors was developed through iterative model generation, refinement, and aerodynamic reasoning using ChatGPT as a generative design assistant. Performance assessment was conducted through analytical relations and extrapolation of validated CFD data from prior diffuser-augmented turbine studies, focusing on velocity amplification, pressure gradients, and stage-wise power enhancement. The proposed multistage configuration achieved cumulative airflow acceleration of approximately 2.38× and an estimated theoretical power improvement of nearly 13× compared to a bare rotor, outperforming conventional single-stage diffuser systems. The use of polymer hybrid composites further enables reduced mass, manufacturability, and suitability for portable, urban, and off-grid applications. Overall, the study demonstrates the aerodynamic advantages of sequential diffuser staging and highlights the promising role of generative AI in accelerating composite-based micro-wind turbine design workflows.

Keywords

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