Student refines 100-year-old math problem, expanding wind energy possibilities

Divya Tyagi, a Penn State aerospace engineering graduate student and PIPELINE participant, was recently featured in Penn State Engineering for her significant contributions to wind energy research. Her work simplifies a 100-year-old math problem originally developed by British aerodynamicist Hermann Glauert, enabling advancements in wind turbine design.

Divya’s research, published in Wind Energy Science, focuses on improving turbine efficiency by considering additional aerodynamic factors. Even a 1% improvement in a turbine’s power coefficient, as her work suggests, could notably increase energy output and potentially power an entire neighborhood.

Currently pursuing her master’s degree, Divya is continuing her research on airflow interactions between helicopters and ships to enhance flight safety with support from the U.S. Navy.