Comparison of wind tunnel airfoil performance data with wind turbine blade data

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Transactions of the ASAE; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2929989· OSTI ID:7032037

Butterfield, C P; Scott, G; Musial, W ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (US)

Horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) performance is usually predicted by using wind tunnel airfoil performance data in a blade element momentum theory analysis. This analysis assumes that the rotating blade airfoils will perform as they do in the wind tunnel. Results to date have shown that unsteady aerodynamics exist during all operating conditions and dynamic stall can exist for high yaw angle operation. Stall hysteresis occurs for even small way angles and delayed stall is a very persistent reality in all operating conditions. delayed stall is indicated by a leading edge suction peak which remains attached through angles of attack (AOA) up to 30 degrees. Wind tunnel results show this peak separating from the leading edge at 18 deg AOA. The effect of this anomaly is to raise normal force coefficients and tangent force coefficients for high AOA. Increase tangent forces will directly affect HAWT performance in high wind speed operation. This paper describes pressure distribution data resulting from both wind tunnel and HAWT tests. A method of bins is used to average the HAWT data which is compared to the wind tunnel data. The analysis technique and the test set-up for each test are described.

• OSTI ID: 7032037
• Journal Information: Transactions of the ASAE; (United States), Vol. 114; ISSN 0001-2351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
HORIZONTAL AXIS TURBINES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
TURBINE BLADES
DESIGN
OPERATION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
US DOE
VELOCITY
WIND TUNNELS
WIND TURBINES
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
MACHINERY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
TESTING
TUNNELS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US ORGANIZATIONS
170602* - Wind Energy Engineering- Turbine Design & Operation