Real-world development challenges of the Clarkson University 3 meter ducted wind turbine

Abstract

The enticing viability of ducted turbines continues to be demonstrated around the world, both numerically and experimentally, however real-world implementation of this technology has historically been a challenge. Promising wind tunnel results for a 2.5 meter rotor ducted turbine model at Clarkson University have led to the construction of a 3 meter prototype test bed, installed on the Clarkson campus. An overview of the development process and the resulting experimental performance measurements on the 3 meter unit is presented. Construction of a prototype for field tests, including component selection, fabrication details of the structure, and selection of downstream electronics is reviewed. Performance results from various system implementations and lessons learned are compared. The turbine demonstrated Cpt efficiencies, based on the duct area, of up to 0.45.