Numerical performance studies of a small scale horizontal axis wind turbine blade with humpback whale tubercles

Abstract

Attributing to the idea of portable power generation, small scale wind turbines are aggressively expanding across rural areas disconnected from the power grid. However, due to their small size and low operating altitudes, the performance of the small wind turbines are severely affected resulting in low power outputs. In the study, efforts are made to passively improve the performance of a 2 kW wind turbine baseline blade by implementing humpback whale tubercles. Tubercle geometry with amplitude ALEP = 5% and wavelength λ@@@LEP = 7% of the local chord ci is interspersed to the leading edge of the baseline blade. Numerical evaluation of the blade performances at various flow conditions proved the modified blade to outperform the baseline blade. From the outcomes, the tubercled blade manifested a total power output P of 26% and coefficient of power CP of 7% greater than the baseline blade at design conditions.