Suggestions for improving wind turbines power curves

Abstract

The question is usually not whether a wind turbine can be designed to optimise the power production at the site, but rather whether an existing wind turbines with a certain rotor can be modified in order to improve the power production. In this paper the various methods for improving the wind turbines power output were investigated experimentally and theoretically. The effect of changing the rotational rotor speed on the power performance of Nordtank 300 kW stall-regulated, horizontal axis wind turbine was investigated experimentally. This was performed by changing the setting program for operating the wind turbine. The variation in the aerodynamic performance of the wind turbine rotor due to changing the pitch angle was investigated experimentally in Hurghada wind farm. The manufacture setting tip angle for Nordtank 300 kW wind turbine is (–1.8°). In this study, the angle was changed to two values (–2.8°) and (–0.8°). Also, to improve the blade performance of a wind turbine operating in low wind speed ranges; the vortex generators may be used. These vortex generators were placed over low-pressure surface of blade or tip blade part. In this study, two types of vortex generators, rectangle and triangle shapes were investigated.