Abstract
The present paper introduces a new, physically consistent definition of effective induction that should be used in engineering models for power kite performance that use aerodynamic coefficients for the wing. It is argued that in such cases it is physically inconsistent to use disc-based induction models – like momentum models – and thus a new, physically consistent induction model using vortex theory methodology is derived. Simulation results using the new induction model are compared to the previously often used momentum method and Actuator Line (AL) CFD simulations. The comparison shows that the new vortex based model is in much better agreement with the AL results than the momentum method. The new model is as computationally light as the momentum induction method.
Highlights
Theoretical and computational works [1,2] indicate that airborne wind energy systems, and in particular crosswind kites, have the potential to significantly decrease the cost of the highly needed sustainable and renewable energy
The present paper introduces a new, physically consistent definition of effective induction that should be used in engineering models for power kite performance that use aerodynamic coefficients for the wing
The objective of the present work is to use basic vortex theory building blocks to determine a new, physically consistent method for assessing the steady state induction of crosswind kites that can be applied in engineering models, where the baseline aerodynamic performance is given as baseline lift, drag and possibly moment coefficients for the kite
Summary
Theoretical and computational works [1,2] indicate that airborne wind energy systems, and in particular crosswind kites, have the potential to significantly decrease the cost of the highly needed sustainable and renewable energy. This work showed that the ideal, obtainable power scales, as expected, with the cube of the onset wind speed - as for conventional wind turbines. Newer studies, such as for instance the work of Argatov et al [4], showed that, in case there is a blockage effect the power scales with the cube of the reduced wind speed at the kite location. This signifies that the power reduction for relatively modest reductions of the effective wind speed at the kite location can still be significant.
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