Abstract
Recently, the Trailing-Edge Flap with Micro-Tab (TEF with Micro-Tab) has been exploited to enhance the performance of wind turbine blades. Moreover, it can also be used to generate more lift and delay the onset of stall. This study focused mostly on the use of TEF with Micro-Tab in wind turbine blades using NREL’s S-809 as a model airfoil. In particular, the benefits generated by TEF with Micro-Tab may be of great interest in the design of wind turbine blades. In this paper, an attempt was made to evaluate the influence of TEF with Micro-Tab on the performance of NREL’s S-809 airfoils. Firstly, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for the airfoil NREL’s S-809 was established, and validated by comparison with previous studies and wind tunnel experimental data. Secondly, the effects of the flap position (H) and deflection angle (αF) on the flow behaviors were investigated. As a result, the effect of TEF on air-flow behavior was demonstrated by augmenting the pressure coefficient at the lower surface of the airfoil at flap position 80% chord length (C) and αF = 7.5°. Thirdly, the influence of TEF with Micro-Tab on the flow behaviors of the airfoil NREL’s S-809 was studied and discussed. Different Micro-Tab positions and constant TEF were examined. Finally, the effects of TEF with Micro-Tab on the aerodynamic characteristics of the S-809 with TEF were compared. The results showed that an increase in the maximum lift coefficient by 25% and a delay in the air-flow stall were accomplished due to opposite sign vortices, which was better than the standard airfoil and S-809 with TEF. Therefore, it was deduced that the benefits of TEF with Micro-Tab were apparent, especially at the lower surface of the airfoil. This particularly suggests that the developed model could be used as a new trend to modify the designs of wind turbine blades.
Highlights
Wind energy plays a crucial role in tackling global climate issues and shaping tomorrow’s energy systems
This paper describes a methodology for computing the effect of trailing edge flap (TEF) with Micro-Tab on airfoil sections by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
A grid generation method was developed to allow an easy way for repositioning the TEF in the chord-wise direction on the S-809 airfoil
Summary
Wind energy plays a crucial role in tackling global climate issues and shaping tomorrow’s energy systems. This progression attracts most scientists’ attention to investigate feasible modifications that can enhance wind turbine performance and sustainability This is supported by numerous recent studies, in which they claim that the efficiency of a wind turbine depends on many factors, including the rotational speed of the electrical generator [2] and the control of the airfoil aerodynamic shape and forces [3]. It is especially problematic for air-flow separation in the region near the hub. The S-809 airfoil has been selected as the standard airfoil that has been identified as the most popular wind turbine on the market [26,27,28,29]
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