The comparison of power capability between towed kite and horizontal axis fan

Abstract

Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) mainly collects wind energy by tethered aircraft at a certain altitude. This paper discusses the recent development of AWE. The actuator disc theory is adopted to consider the influence of kites on wind flow obstruction. The difference of working mode between a horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) and a crosswind kite power systems (CKPS) is compared, the power limit of HAWT and CKPS is calculated, and the reason of the limit power is analyzed. It is pointed out that CKPS has a wider range of flight and should be further analyzed and calculated rather than simply generalized by the system disk theory.