Abstract
The aim of the current work is to analyze possible advantages of mounting Vortex Generators (VG's) on a wind turbine blade. Specifically, the project aims at investigating at which radial sections of the DTU 10 MW Reference Wind Turbine blade it is most beneficial to mount the VG's in order to increase the Annual Energy Production (AEP) under realistic conditions. The present analysis was carried out in several steps: (1) The clean two dimensional airfoil characteristics were first modified to emulate the effect of all possible combinations of VG's (1% high at suction side x/c=0.2-0.25) and two Leading Edge Roughness (LER) values along the whole blade span. (2) The combinations from Step 1, including the clean case were subsequently modified to take into account three dimensional effects. (3) BEM computations were carried out to determine the aerodynamic rotor performance using each of the datasets from Step 2 along the whole blade span for all wind speeds in the turbine control scheme. (4) Employing the assumption of radial independence between sections of the blades, and using the results of the BEM computations described in Step 3, it is possible to determine for each radial position independently whether it is beneficial to install VG's in the smooth and LER cases, respectively. The results indicated that surface roughness that corresponds to degradation of the power curve may to some extent be mitigated by installation of VG's. The present results also indicated that the optimal VG configuration in terms of maximizing AEP depends on the degree of severity of the LER. This is because, depending on the condition of blade surface, installation of VG's on an incorrect blade span or installation of VG's too far out on the blade may cause loss in AEP. The results also indicated that the worse condition of the blade surface, the more gain may be obtained from the installation of VG's.
Highlights
A Vortex Generator (VG) is an aerodynamic device, consisting of a small vane that creates a vortex
The results indicated that the worse condition of the blade surface, the more gain may be obtained from the installation of Vortex Generators (VG’s)
The project aimed at investigating at which radial sections of the DTU 10 MW Reference Wind Turbine blade it is most beneficial to mount VG’s of height in order to increase Annual Energy Production (AEP) under realistic conditions
Summary
A Vortex Generator (VG) is an aerodynamic device, consisting of a small vane that creates a vortex. This vortex, in turn, making its way down the suction side of an airfoil, pumps the higher-velocity air from the upper segment of the boundary layer to the lower segment characterized by lower-velocity flow, thereby energizing it. The surface of every blade deteriorates in time. The rate and type of deterioration depends on the conditions in which the blades operate.
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