Investigation on aerodynamic performance of horizontal axis wind turbine by setting micro-plate in front of the blade leading edge

Abstract

Under the pressure of conventional energy emergency and global environmental degradation, wind energy has been developed and utilized as an important energy source since 1973. However, flow separation occurs on the surface of horizontal axis wind turbine blades under high angle of attack, which reduces the utilization rate of wind energy. To address this problem, a method of setting micro-plate in front of the blade leading edge of the NREL Phase VI wind turbine is proposed, and the effects of the micro-plate at different positions and different plate widths on the aerodynamic performance of the wind turbine are investigated. The results show that distance between the micro-plate and the blade leading edge from the blade thickness direction and the chord length direction have significant effects on the aerodynamic performance of the blade, there is a position where the flow separation control effect is best. While in the same position, the control effect of micro-plate on the flow separation is different with different plate widths, and there is an optimal plate width at certain wind speeds, which makes the flow control effect the best.