An experimental analysis of the effect of icing on Wind turbine rotor blades

Abstract

Wind Turbine is highly nonlinear plant whose dynamics changes with change in aerodynamics of the rotor blade. Power extracted from the wind turbine is a function of coefficient of power (Cp). Wind turbine installed in the cold climate areas has an icing on its rotor blade which might change its aerodynamics. This paper is an experimental investigation of the aerodynamic changes occur due to effect of ice accumulated on the rotor blades of wind turbine. We have tested three small scale model of the NREL's 5MW rotor blade with same profile but simulated different icing effect on them. These models are printed with 3D printer and tested one by one in a Wind Tunnel. Lift, drag and moment coefficients are calculated from the measured experimental data and program WT-Perf based on blade-element momentum (BEM) theory is used to predict the performance of wind turbine. Cp curves generated from the test are compared with each other to see the effect of icing effect however Cp curve of the clean blade generated from the experiment is compared with the Cp curve from the NREL's 5MW rotor blade airfoil to see the effect of the limitation of the project. It is clear from the results that the rotor blade with lead edge ice has less peak value and shape of the Cp curve is unchanged as compared to clean blade. However the blade with lead and trail edge ice has reduced peak value but shape of the Cp curve is changed as compared to clean and lead edge ice blade.