Why Paperclips Break and Wind Turbines Don't (Usually)

Faglige nøgleord: Turbulence, wind energy, renewable energy, climate change, fatigue, engineering, physics, sustainability, aerodynamics, atmospheric science, energy transition, wind turbines, spectra, coherence

Oplæg tilgængeligt på: Engelsk

What does turbulence actually look like? Why do aeroplanes shake? And what does that have to do with the tallest structures in Denmark? In this interactive 90-minute session, students will explore the invisible physics of turbulence and discover how it affects wind turbines – and why understanding it is crucial for building a sustainable energy system. We begin with the familiar fasten seatbelt sign and turbulence you feel on an aeroplane. We then discuss what it means for wind turbines. To make this concrete, students will: - Take part in an interactive presentation to explain what turbulence is and how it works for wind turbines. The presentation uses simple graphics and metaphors to make complex scientific concepts digestible. - Take part in short quizzes - Break a paperclip to understand fatigue loading. - We will build up to advanced ideas such as turbulence spectra and coherence step by step using visual analogies. Wind energy is one of the key technologies in the global transition to renewable energy. But building wind turbines requires large amounts of steel, concrete, and composites. Offshore wind turbines are now approaching 300-400 metres in height – taller than anything in Denmark. If we misunderstand the wind up there, turbines may be over-designed (using more materials than necessary) or under-designed (leading to failure). My PhD research focuses on improving how we model atmospheric turbulence for large floating wind turbines. Better models mean: - More accurate load predictions - Longer component lifetimes - Less material use - Lower lifecycle emissions In short: better physics -> better engineering -> more sustainable energy. The session will also include some details of my personal journey, such as: - growing up in the UK - discovering an interest in maths and physics (alongside music and languages) - studying engineering, first in the UK, then at DTU - working in industry - starting a PhD at DTU Wind & Energy Systems I will also speak honestly about doubts, career changes and how I chose this path. One of my key messages is: You can get paid to have eureka moments.

Opdateret af Sofie Marie Møller Nielsen den 9. april 2026

Fag og faglige nøgleord

Dette oplæg passer for eksempel godt til:

Fysik

Geovidenskab

Matematik
Teknologi

Nøgleord:

Turbulence
wind energy
renewable energy
climate change
fatigue
engineering
physics
sustainability
aerodynamics
atmospheric science
energy transition
wind turbines
spectra
coherence

Sprog og form på besøget

Klassebesøg eller foredrag?

Dette oplæg passer til en klasse (op til ca. 28 elever), hvor den ph.d.-studerende har mulighed for at have dialog med eleverne.

Sprog?

Dette oplæg er tilgængeligt på engelsk.

Digitalt eller fysisk besøg?

Den ph.d.-studerende kommer gerne ud på jeres skole til et fysisk besøg.

Øvrig information

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Sådan booker du

Kontakt

Taja Andersen Brenneche

Kommunikationsmedarbejder

AKM

45 25 10 57
tajab@adm.dtu.dk