Yawing of wind turbines with blade cyclic pitch variation
The purpose of this study was to determine by analysis, model tests, and full-scale experiments whether a two-bladed wind rotor with passive cyclic pitch variation, yawed for the purpose of rotor speed and torque control, has the potential of cost-effective wind energy conversion. A simple mechanism adopted from rotorcraft technology for obtaining passive cyclic pitch variation makes rapid yaw rates possible without causing vibratory hub moments and without producing appreciable out-of-plane blade excursions. A 7.6-m diameter vane-stabilized fully instrumented wind rotor having low blade solidity was operated between May and October 1980, during 41 days for 96 hours. The operational envelope extended to 16m/sec wind velocity, to 45-degree yaw angle power-on and 80-degree yaw angle power-off. The rotor was automatically yawed when 228 rpm at 10-kW rotor power was exceeded. Reverse yawing was performed manually. Within the tested performance envelope, loads and vibrations were low. The rotor ran smoothly even at high yaw angles and at high yaw rates. Performance was good.
- Research Organization:
- Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA); Washington Univ. Technology Associates, Inc., St. Louis, MO (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-77CH00178
- OSTI ID:
- 6206191
- Report Number(s):
- SERI/TR-8085-3-T1; ON: DE81030091
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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