Combined Experiment Phase 1. [Horizontal axis wind turbines: wind tunnel testing versus field testing]

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6882369· OSTI ID:6882369

Butterfield, C P; Musial, W P; Simms, D A

How does wind tunnel airfoil data differ from the airfoil performance on an operating horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) The National Renewable Energy laboratory has been conducting a comprehensive test program focused on answering this question and understanding the basic fluid mechanics of rotating HAWT stall aerodynamics. The basic approach was to instrument a wind rotor, using an airfoil that was well documented by wind tunnel tests, and measure operating pressure distributions on the rotating blade. Based an the integrated values of the pressure data, airfoil performance coefficients were obtained, and comparisons were made between the rotating data and the wind tunnel data. Care was taken to the aerodynamic and geometric differences between the rotating and the wind tunnel models. This is the first of two reports describing the Combined Experiment Program and its results. This Phase I report covers background information such as test setup and instrumentation. It also includes wind tunnel test results and roughness testing.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 6882369
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-257-4655; ON: DE93000012
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
170602* -- Wind Energy Engineering-- Turbine Design & Operation
AERODYNAMICS
AIRFOILS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
DYNAMIC LOADS
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
FIELD TESTS
FLUID MECHANICS
HORIZONTAL AXIS TURBINES
MACHINERY
MECHANICS
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
PROGRESS REPORT
ROTORS
TESTING
TUNNELS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
WIND LOADS
WIND TUNNELS
WIND TURBINES