Determination of Scaled Wind Turbine Rotor Characteristics from Three Dimensional RANS Calculations

Abstract. In this paper, a method to determine the angle of attack on a wind turbine rotor blade using a chordwise pressure distribution measurement was applied. The approach used a reduced number of pressure tap data located close to the blade leading edge. The results were compared with the measurements from three external probes mounted on the blade at different radial positions and with analytical calculations. Both experimental approaches used in this study are based on the 2-D flow assumption; the pressure tap method is an application of the thin airfoil theory, while the probe method applies geometrical and induction corrections to the measurement data. The experiments were conducted in the wind tunnel at the Hermann Föttinger Institut of the Technische Universität Berlin. The research turbine is a three-bladed upwind horizontal axis wind turbine model with a rotor diameter of 3 m. The measurements were carried out at rated conditions with a tip speed ratio of 4.35, and different yaw and pitch angles were tested in order to compare the approaches over a wide range of conditions. Results show that the pressure tap method is suitable and provides a similar angle of attack to the external probe measurements as well as the analytical calculations. This is a significant step for the experimental determination of the local angle of attack, as it eliminates the need for external probes, which affect the flow over the blade and require additional calibration.

Download Full-text

Determination of the Angle of Attack on a Research Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Using Surface Pressure Measurements

10.5194/wes-2020-35-rc2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anonymous

Keyword(s):

Wind Turbine ◽

Surface Pressure ◽

Rotor Blade ◽

Angle Of Attack ◽

Turbine Rotor ◽

Pressure Measurements ◽

Turbine Rotor Blade ◽

Wind Turbine Rotor

Download Full-text

Determination of Preload of Double-Row Tapered Roller Bearing Used for Supporting Direct-Drive Wind Turbine Rotor

Mechanical Engineering Research ◽

10.5539/mer.v4n1p27 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yunfeng Li

Keyword(s):

Wind Turbine ◽

Roller Bearing ◽

Turbine Rotor ◽

Direct Drive ◽

Double Row ◽

Tapered Roller Bearing ◽

Tapered Roller ◽

Wind Turbine Rotor

Download Full-text

A Mathematical Model of Bird Collisions With Wind Turbine Rotors

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.2871788 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 118 (4) ◽

pp. 253-262 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

V. A. Tucker

Keyword(s):

Wind Turbine ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Turbine Rotor ◽

Collision Model ◽

One Dimensional ◽

Probability Of Collision ◽

The Mean ◽

Straight Lines ◽

Wind Turbine Rotor ◽

Bird Collisions

When a bird flies through the disk swept out by the blades of a wind turbine rotor, the probability of collision depends on the motions and dimensions of the bird and the blades. The collision model in this paper predicts the probability for birds that glide upwind, downwind, and across the wind past simple one-dimensional blades represented by straight lines, and upwind and downwind past more realistic three-dimensional blades with chord and twist. Probabilities vary over the surface of the disk, and in most cases, the tip of the blade is less likely to collide with a bird than parts of the blade nearer the hub. The mean probability may be found by integration over the disk area. The collision model identifies the rotor characteristics that could be altered to make turbines safer for birds.

Download Full-text