Research of the Nonlinear Wake Model of HAWT

Abstract

In the existing linear wake (cylindrical surface) model of horizontal axis wind turbines, the rotor was taken as the actuator-disc composed of infinite blades with infinitesimal chords. The distribution of variable circulation along blade was not taken into account and the span-wise (or radial) component of induced velocity is totally ignored. And assumed that the all trailing vortex filament shed from blade trailing edge would locate on their own cylindrical stream-surface. This aerodynamic model for determination of wake configuration is obviously different from that actually observed wake in wind tunnel experiment. Therefore, a "nonlinear" wake model was proposed, in this model the wake vortex system was divided into the central vortex along rotor axis, the bound vortex along blade axis, the wake vortex sheets shed from blade trailing edge and extent into infinity behind the rotor. Then, on the basis of potential theory in fluid mechanics a set of integral equations for evaluation of induced velocity in wake were derived with Biot-Savarts formula.