Thick Airfoils With Blunt Trailing Edge for Wind Turbine Blades

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. P. van Dam ◽  
A. Cooperman ◽  
A. McLennan ◽  
R. Chow ◽  
J. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Performance Characteristics ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Blunt Trailing Edge

This paper addresses the primary concerns regarding the aerodynamic performance characteristics of thick airfoils with blunt trailing edges (or so-called flatback airfoils) and the utilization of these section shapes in the design of rotor blades for utility-scale wind turbines. Results from wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamic studies demonstrate the favorable impact of the blunt trailing edge on the aerodynamic performance characteristics including higher maximum lift coefficient and reduced sensitivity of lift to premature boundary layer transition. The negative effect of the blunt trailing edge on drag can be partially mitigated through simple trailing edge treatments such as splitter plates. Studies on the effect of these section shapes on wind turbine rotor performance show that at attached flow conditions this inboard blade modification does not adversely affect rotor torque output. Blade system design studies involving the collective optimization of aerodynamic performance, structural strength and weight, and manufacturing complexity demonstrate the overall favorable impact of the flatback concept.

scholarly journals COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS STUDY OF DUSTY AIR FLOW OVER NACA 63415 AIRFOIL FOR WIND TURBINE APPLICATIONS

2017 ◽  
Vol 79 (7-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iham F. Zidane ◽  
Khalid M. Saqr ◽  
Greg Swadener ◽  
Xianghong Ma ◽  
Mohamed F. Shehadeh
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
South African ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sand Particles

Gulf and South African countries have enormous potential for wind energy. However, the emergence of sand storms in this region postulates performance and reliability challenges on wind turbines. This study investigates the effects of debris flow on wind turbine blade performance. In this paper, two-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and the transition SST turbulence model are used to analyze the aerodynamic performance of NACA 63415 airfoil under clean and sandy conditions. The numerical simulation of the airfoil under clean surface condition is performed at Reynolds number 460×103, and the numerical results have a good consistency with the experimental data. The Discrete Phase Model has been used to investigate the role sand particles play in the aerodynamic performance degradation. The pressure and lift coefficients of the airfoil have been computed under different sand particles flow rates. The performance of the airfoil under different angle of attacks has been studied. Results showed that the blade lift coefficient can deteriorate by 28% in conditions relevant to the Gulf and South African countries sand storms. As a result, the numerical simulation method has been verified to be economically available for accurate estimation of the sand particles effect on the wind turbine blades.

Analysis of Blunt Trailing Edge Airfoils

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Standish ◽  
C. P. van Dam
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Computational Techniques ◽  
Wind Turbine Blades ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Blunt Trailing Edge ◽  
Large Wind ◽  
Structural Volume

The adoption of blunt trailing edge airfoils for the inner regions of large wind turbine blades has been proposed. Blunt trailing edge airfoils would not only provide increased structural volume, but have also been found to improve the lift characteristics of airfoils and therefore allow for section shapes with a greater maximum thickness. Limited experimental data makes it difficult for wind turbine designers to consider and conduct tradeoff studies using these section shapes. This lack of experimental data precipitated the present analysis of blunt trailing edge airfoils using computational fluid dynamics. Several computational techniques are applied including a viscous/inviscid interaction method and several Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes methods.

scholarly journals Design Optimization of a Multi-Megawatt Wind Turbine Blade with the NPU-MWA Airfoil Family

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 3330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianhua Xu ◽  
Zhonghua Han ◽  
Xiaochao Yan ◽  
Wenping Song
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Weight Reduction ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Wind Turbine Blade ◽  
Structural Performance ◽  
Power Coefficient

A new airfoil family, called NPU-MWA (Northwestern Polytechnical University Multi-megawatt Wind-turbine A-series) airfoils, was designed to improve both aerodynamic and structural performance, with the outboard airfoils being designed at high design lift coefficient and high Reynolds number, and the inboard airfoils being designed as flat-back airfoils. This article aims to design a multi-megawatt wind turbine blade in order to demonstrate the advantages of the NPU-MWA airfoils in improving wind energy capturing and structural weight reduction. The distributions of chord length and twist angle for a 5 MW wind turbine blade are optimized by a Kriging surrogate model-based optimizer, with aerodynamic performance being evaluated by blade element-momentum theory. The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations solver was used to validate the improvement in aerodynamic performance. Results show that compared with an existing NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) 5 MW blade, the maximum power coefficient of the optimized NPU 5 MW blade is larger, and the chord lengths at all span-wise sections are dramatically smaller, resulting in a significant structural weight reduction (9%). It is shown that the NPU-MWA airfoils feature excellent aerodynamic and structural performance for the design of multi-megawatt wind turbine blades.

scholarly journals Numerical Analysis of Wind Turbine Airfoil Aerodynamic Performance with Leading Edge Bump

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Asli ◽  
Behnam Mashhadi Gholamali ◽  
Abolghasem Mesgarpour Tousi
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Vortex Generator ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance

Aerodynamic performance improvement of wind turbine blade is the key process to improve wind turbine performance in electricity generated and energy conversion in renewable energy sources concept. The flow behavior on wind turbine blades profile and the relevant phenomena like stall can be improved by some modifications. In the present paper, Humpback Whales flippers leading edge protuberances model as a novel passive stall control method was investigated on S809 as a thick airfoil. The airfoil was numerically analyzed by CFD method in Reynolds number of 106and aerodynamic coefficients in static angle of attacks were validated with the experimental data reported by Somers in NREL. Therefore, computational results for modified airfoil with sinusoidal wavy leading edge were presented. The results revealed that, at low angles of attacks before the stall region, lift coefficient decreases slightly rather than baseline model. However, the modified airfoil has a smooth stall trend while baseline airfoil lift coefficient decreases sharply due to the separation which occurred on suction side. According to the flow physics over the airfoils, leading edge bumps act as vortex generator so vortices containing high level of momentum make the flow remain attached to the surface of the airfoil at high angle of attack and prevent it from having a deep stall.

Analysing and Optimizing the Aerodynamic Performance of Wind Turbine Blades Using Injected-Air Jets at Variable Frequency and Amplitude for Flow Control

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 331-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu Hong ◽  
Huo Fupeng ◽  
Chen Zuoyi
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Angle Of Attack ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Air Jet

Optimum aerodynamic performance of a wind turbine blade demands that the angle of attack of the relative wind on the blade remains at its optimum value. For turbines operating at constant speed, a change in wind speed causes the angle of attack to change immediately and the aerodynamic performance to decrease. Even with variable speed rotors, intrinsic time delays and inertia have similar effects. Improving the efficiency of wind turbines under variable operating conditions is one of the most important areas of research in wind power technology. This paper presents findings of an experimental study in which an oscillating air jet located at the leading edge of the suction surface of an aerofoil was used to improve the aerodynamic performance. The mean air-mass flowing through the jet during each sinusoidal period of oscillation equalled zero; i.e. the jet both blew and sucked. Experiments investigated the effects of the frequency, momentum and location of the jet stream, and the profile of the turbine blade. The study shows significant increase in the lift coefficient, especially in the stall region, under certain conditions. These findings may have important implications for wind turbine technology.

Aerodynamic Analysis of Blunt Trailing Edge Airfoils

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 479-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Standish ◽  
C. P. van Dam
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Computational Techniques ◽  
Interaction Method ◽  
Wind Turbine Blades ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Blunt Trailing Edge ◽  
Large Wind ◽  
Structural Volume

The adoption of blunt trailing edge airfoils for the inboard region of large wind turbine blades has been proposed. Blunt trailing edge airfoils would not only provide a number of structural benefits, such as increased structural volume and ease of fabrication and handling, but they have also been found to improve the lift characteristics of airfoils. Therefore, the incorporation of blunt trailing edge airfoils would allow blade designers to more freely address the structural demands without having to sacrifice aerodynamic performance. Limited experimental data make it difficult for wind turbine designers to consider and conduct tradeoff studies using these section shapes and has provided the impetus for the present analysis of blunt trailing edge airfoils using computational fluid dynamics. Several computational techniques are applied, including a viscous/inviscid interaction method and three Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes methods.

scholarly journals CFD-Based In-Depth Investigation of the Effects of the Shape and Layout of a Vortex Generator on the Aerodynamic Performance of a Multi-MW Wind Turbine

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10764
Author(s):  
Hyeon-Gi Moon ◽  
Sunho Park ◽  
Kwangtae Ha ◽  
Jae-Ho Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Vortex Generator ◽  
Aerodynamic Performance ◽  
Wind Turbine Blade ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Suction Surface ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Blade Root

Thick airfoils are conventionally adopted in the blade root region of a wind turbine to ensure structural safety under extreme conditions, despite the resulting power loss. To prevent this loss, a passive flow control device known as a vortex generator (VG) is installed at the starting point of the stall to control the flow field near the wall of the suction surface. In this study, we used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics induced as a result of the shape and layout of the VG on a multi-MW wind turbine blade. The separated and vortical flow behavior on the suction surface of the wind turbine blade equipped with VGs was captured by the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) steady-flow simulation. The parametric sensitivity study of the VG shape parameters such as the chord-wise length, height, and interval of the fair of VGs was conducted using thick DU airfoil on the blade inboard area. Based on these results, the response surface method (RSM) was used to investigate the influence of the design parameters of the VG. Based on the CFD results, the VG design parameters were selected by considering the lift coefficient and vorticity above the trailing edge. The maximum vorticity from the trailing edge of the selected VG and the lift coefficient were 55.7% and 0.42% higher, respectively, than the average. The selected VG design and layout were adopted for a multi-MW wind turbine and reduced stall occurrence in the blade root area, as predicted by the simulation results. The VG improved the aerodynamic performance of the multi-MW wind turbine by 2.8% at the rated wind speed.

scholarly journals Effects of Micro-Tab on the Lift Enhancement of Airfoil S-809 with Trailing-Edge Flap

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 547
Author(s):  
Jianjun Ye ◽  
Shehab Salem ◽  
Juan Wang ◽  
Yiwen Wang ◽  
Zonggang Du ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Pressure Coefficient ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Lower Surface ◽  
Wind Turbine Blades ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Trailing Edge Flap

Recently, the Trailing-Edge Flap with Micro-Tab (TEF with Micro-Tab) has been exploited to enhance the performance of wind turbine blades. Moreover, it can also be used to generate more lift and delay the onset of stall. This study focused mostly on the use of TEF with Micro-Tab in wind turbine blades using NREL’s S-809 as a model airfoil. In particular, the benefits generated by TEF with Micro-Tab may be of great interest in the design of wind turbine blades. In this paper, an attempt was made to evaluate the influence of TEF with Micro-Tab on the performance of NREL’s S-809 airfoils. Firstly, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for the airfoil NREL’s S-809 was established, and validated by comparison with previous studies and wind tunnel experimental data. Secondly, the effects of the flap position (H) and deflection angle (αF) on the flow behaviors were investigated. As a result, the effect of TEF on air-flow behavior was demonstrated by augmenting the pressure coefficient at the lower surface of the airfoil at flap position 80% chord length (C) and αF = 7.5°. Thirdly, the influence of TEF with Micro-Tab on the flow behaviors of the airfoil NREL’s S-809 was studied and discussed. Different Micro-Tab positions and constant TEF were examined. Finally, the effects of TEF with Micro-Tab on the aerodynamic characteristics of the S-809 with TEF were compared. The results showed that an increase in the maximum lift coefficient by 25% and a delay in the air-flow stall were accomplished due to opposite sign vortices, which was better than the standard airfoil and S-809 with TEF. Therefore, it was deduced that the benefits of TEF with Micro-Tab were apparent, especially at the lower surface of the airfoil. This particularly suggests that the developed model could be used as a new trend to modify the designs of wind turbine blades.

Aerodynamics of leading-edge protection tapes for wind turbine blades

2020 ◽  
pp. 0309524X2097544
Author(s):  
Desirae Major ◽  
Jose Palacios ◽  
Mark Maughmer ◽  
Sven Schmitz
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Wind Turbine Blades ◽  
Layer Transition ◽  
Tape Edge ◽  
The Impact

This paper presents results of a comparative study on the effect of standard and tapered leading-edge protection (LEP) tapes on the annual energy production (AEP) of a utility-scale 1.5 MW wind turbine. Numerical models are developed in STAR-CCM+ to estimate the impact of LEP tapes on lift and drag coefficients of an NACA 64-618 airfoil operating at Re = 3 × 106. Experimental drag coefficient data are collected for LEP tapes applied to the tip-section of a de-commissioned wind turbine blade for numerical validation. The objective is to determine the physical mechanisms responsible for the aerodynamic degradation observed with standard LEP tapes, and to design a tapered LEP tape that reduces the associated adverse impact on AEP. An in-house wind turbine design and analysis code, XTurb-PSU, is used to estimate AEP using airfoil data obtained by STAR-CCM+. For standard LEP tapes, laminar-to-turbulent boundary-layer transition occurs at the LEP tape edge, resulting in AEP losses of 2%–3%. Comparable tapered LEP tapes can be designed to suppress boundary-layer transition for backward-facing step heights below a critical value such that associated impact on AEP is negligible.

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