Design of Wind Turbines

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department

Selection of Optimal Geometrical & Kinematic

Variables ….
Signatures of Wind Turbine on Wind & Recovery

u  Vo  1  a 
 Characteristic Parameter of A Wind Turbine Rotor

The axial induction factor (of rotor) a is defined as:

u  Vo 1  a 
1

u  Vo  u1
2

u1  Vo 1  2a 

Pabsored  2AV o
3

a 1 a 2

The available power in a cross-section equal to the swept area A

by the rotor is:
1
Pavail  AVo3
2
 The absorbed power is often non-dimensionalized with respect to
Pavail as a power coefficient CP:

Pabsorbed
CP 
1
AVo3
2
Similarly a thrust coefficient CT is defined as:

T
CT 
1
AVo2
2

the power and thrust coefficients for the ideal 1-D wind turbine
may be written as:

CP  4a1  a  & CT  4a1  a 

2
 Differentiating CP with respect to a yields:

 4a1  a 1  3a 
dC P
da
It is easily seen that CP, max = 16/27 for a = 1/3.

This theoretical maximum for an ideal wind

turbine is known as the Betz limit.
 The Compact Ideal Wind Turbine

The axial induction factor (of rotor) a is defined as: u  Vo 1  a 

u1  Vo 1  2a 
Increasing Capacity & Real Flow Past A Wind Turbine
Turbulent-wake state induced by the unstable shear flow
at the edge of the wake
Wind & Rotor Interaction
 Kinematics of Blade

At any radius r

Vw
Ub=rw

Vfe=u
Ub=rw

Vai=u
Schematic drawing of the vortex system behind a
wind turbine
Selection of Blade Speed
Selection of Diameter Vs Capacity
Size, Speed & Efficiency
Optimum Available Power due to Turbulent Wake

Fraction of Betz Limit

Intersection of Wind & Blade
 Capacity Vs Number of Blades
• For a given efficiency , a wind turbine with large capacity will
run at lower speed.
• What is the lowest RPM (Revolution Per Minute) a single bladed
turbine can make without loosing its efficiency drastically?
• It is 60 RPM or one revolution per second. Why?
• Because it should sweep whole rotor area in one second.
• If turbine rotates slower than this, it will miss some air particles
and it's output power will be low.
• However if it rotates faster than one revolution per second it will
produce more power which is better.
• But faster rotating blades create more stresses on overall
structure.
• Therefore one bladed turbine should run at highest possible safe
rpm.
 Low Speed for Higher Number of Blades

• A two bladed turbine can run at lower speed with high

efficiency.
• This is because while one blade sweeping one half of the circle
area, the other blade is sweeping the other half.
• By using same analogy a three bladed turbine can run much
lower speeds with high efficiency.
• Low speed turbine increase the cost of electrical equipment.
• Higher number of large blades will increase wind turbine and
civil structure costs.
• A techno-economically viable option is essential.
Common Industrial Practice
 Aerofoil Geometry of Blades

8
Pmax .available  AV03
27
Rotation = r * W
1

u  Vo  u1
2


Relative Wind = ur a Wind = u

Causes of Extraneous Loads
 Wind Turbine Field Performance

• Issues effecting wind turbine performance

– Blade Design
• Efficiency of large turbine blades are close to the
aerodynamic optimum for steady uniform winds.
• Unsteady and non-uniform wind conditions cause:
– Blade section stall.
– Degradation of Wind Turbine performance.
– Noise issues with the local community
• Wind turbine noise increases due to:
– Unsteady in-flow conditions.
– Flow interaction from support structure or wakes from other
wind turbines.
Off-design Characteristics of Wind Turbines
Torque Produced in a Linear Wind shear

Decreasing Turbine
Torque with increasing
wind gradient
 Desired Airfoil Qualities

For a fixed-pitch, constant speed

machine, recommended airfoil
qualities at 0.75R are:
– High L/D
– Low clmax near tip reduces
tendency to overpower
generator in high wind
speeds
– Insensitive to surface
roughness (bugs, birds,
bullets)
 Wind Turbine Blade Specifications

Relative Wind = Vr
13.7 m

Rotation = r * W
3.45 m 1.43 m

45.7 m

a
• Diameter = 91.4 m
• No. of Blades = 2

Wind = V0
• Average Wind Speed = 12.5 m/s
• Rotation Rate = 17.5 rpm
• Airfoil: NACA 23024
• Power Output = 2.5 MW
 Blade Designs
Chord Changes
r/R (1) (2) (3)
0 15 14 10
0.25 11.4 11.4 8
0.5 5.7 7 6
0.75 3.8 3.8 4
1 2.85 2.85 2

Twist Changes (values in deg from wind axis)

r/R (1) (2) (3)
0 6.1 6.0 5.5
0.25 66.7 27.8 83.5
0.5 83.4 49.5 89
0.75 93.8 71.3 90
1 111.6 93.0 92
 Aerofoil Design

r/R Chord (m) Twist (deg)

0 10 6.1
0.25 8 66.7 Blade Tip
0.5 6 83.4
0.75 4 93.8
1 2 111.6

Leading Edge

Airfoil NACA 65-410

Root Section