Abstract
Increasing popularity of individualised electricity generation from wind by prosumers creates a strong demand for profitable and highly efficient small wind turbines. This paper investigates the influence of rotor blade solidity parameter on device efficiency in hope of determining its optimal value as a part of the development process of the GUST small wind turbine. The study involved experimental analysis in the wind tunnel and numerical simulations performed in QBlade software. Different solidities of the rotor were achieved by alteration of (1) number of blades and (2) chord distribution along the blade span. The increase of rotor solidity resulted in augmentation of the aerodynamic efficiency in both approaches. The elongation of the chord by 33% in a 3-bladed rotor resulted in a bigger power coefficient increment than addition of a 4th blade with original chord distribution. Even though the solidity was the same, the 3-bladed rotor performed better, possibly due to lower form drag. The results emphasize the importance of the rotor solidity optimization during the small wind turbine rotor development and may significantly influence overall power output.
Highlights
In view of the European Union’s plans for achieving climate neutrality by 2050, there is a growing concern regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emission
On the basis of the results presented in this paper, the following conclusions can be drawn:
The solidity raise causes the growth of the maximal cp value for a given rotor blades geometry
Summary
In view of the European Union’s plans for achieving climate neutrality by 2050, there is a growing concern regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emission. This target can be attained by switching to renewable energy sources like wind energy. In parallel to an increasing number of offshore- and onshore wind farms, a new market has recently emerged: electricity generation by individual household owners, called prosumers. They utilize wind turbines of much smaller diameter than the industrial-grade machines in order to satisfy domestic needs. The increasing popularity of small wind turbines provoked the growth of methods allowing aerodynamic performance analysis and development of these devices
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
