Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of sound pressure levels through theoretical modeling and experimental validation in a 1 kW small wind turbine. The models used in the theoretical analysis are BPM (Brooks, Pope, and Marcolini) and BM (Brooks and Marcolini), where wind turbine blades are divided in sections, and each section has its own contribution with respect to the total emitted sound pressure level. The noise propagation study and its experimental validation were accomplished within the requirements of the standard IEC 61400-11 Ed.3 and the standard NOM-081-SEMARNAT-1994. The comparative study of theoretical and experimental results showed that the BPM and BM methods have a maximum error of 5.5% corresponding to the rated wind speed of 10 m/s. However, at low wind speeds, the theoretical models fit well to experimental data, for example, in the range from 5 to 8 m/s. The experimental data showed that the rotor’s aerodynamic noise is more evident at low wind speed, because under these conditions, environmental noise is much less than wind turbine noise. Finally, to prevent possible negative effects on people’s health, there is a recommended minimum and suitable distance between small wind turbine installations and buildings.
Highlights
Wind energy has been the fastest expanding renewable energy in the world
12 wind farms were analyzed, and the results showed that people heard buzzing from the wind turbines, which in most cases was annoying for them
A study of the noise emitted by a wind turbine of 1 kW installed in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico, was carried out, in which the sound pressure levels produced by the detachment of the turbulent boundary layer at the trailing edge were determined using the semi-empirical method proposed by Brooks et al [25] and the sound pressure levels due to the formation of vortexes at the tip of the blade generated by the rotation speeds of the wind turbine [17,26]
Summary
Wind energy has been the fastest expanding renewable energy in the world. in addition to observing them in the sea and large areas of land, you can see small wind turbines in rural communities, which have been used for power generation and for water extraction. One of the problems that small wind turbines present is the noise they emit; according to Ma et al [3], the design of airfoils is fundamental to reduce noise and is achieved by analyzing the wind speed at the tip of the blade. A study of the noise emitted by a wind turbine of 1 kW installed in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico, was carried out, in which the sound pressure levels produced by the detachment of the turbulent boundary layer at the trailing edge were determined using the semi-empirical method proposed by Brooks et al [25] and the sound pressure levels due to the formation of vortexes at the tip of the blade generated by the rotation speeds of the wind turbine [17,26].
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