An overview of the DOE/SANDIA/USDA vertical axis wind turbine Test Bed project
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is presently erecting its Department of Energy (DOE) funded 34-m diameter vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) Test Bed on a Department of Agriculture (USDA) site near Amarillo, Texas. This versatile VAWT, rated at 500 kW in a 12.5 m/s (28 mph) wind, has been designed to demonstrate aerodynamic, structural dynamic, and control strategies intended to improve the effectiveness of VAWT systems. The paper addresses all aspects of this major wind energy project. The need for a turbine in this general physical size range, the choice of a modular fabrication scheme, and the reasons for component materials and subsystems are all discussed. The selection of the Bushland, Texas, site and the motivation behind the involvement of the USDA Agricultural Research Service is described. The SNL organization and management plan assembled to design, procure, erect, and operate the Test Bed is detailed. The technical features in the areas of aerodynamics, structures, power systems, control philosophies, instrumentation, data acquisition, and data analysis are highlighted. 1 ref., 5 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA); Department of Agriculture, Bushland, TX (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5996215
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-87-1131C; CONF-871062-2; ON: DE88000604
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Windpower '87, San Francisco, CA, USA, 5 Oct 1987; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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