Optimum design of a small wind turbine blade for maximum power production

Abstract

The rotor blades of a wind turbine are critical components that consist of aerodynamic shapes called airfoils. The interaction of these airfoils with the wind allows converting the power in the wind to mechanical power. The structure of the rotor blades must be able to extract maximum energy from the wind while being strong enough to stand steady, periodic and randomly changing loads. For maximum power extraction, an optimum design of the rotor blades is necessary. This paper presents a typical design methodology of the rotor blades of a small wind turbine with a power generation of 11 kW (rotor radius of 3.5 m). First, the design parameters were presented. Then, optimum blade geometry (chord length and twist angle distribution) was determined using optimum rotor theory. Finally, the wind turbine blade performance (power coefficient and power production) was assessed using Q-blade software.