Evaluating the aerodynamic performance of small horizontal axis wind turbines

Brian D. Wallace, Dennis K. McLaughlin, Susan Stewart

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

A power performance field test campaign has been run on a 2.4 kW rated small horizontal axis wind turbine. The wind-electric system has been instrumented with power and meteorological sensors with the goal of developing a field-test facility with the capability of performing comprehensive power production and rotor aerodynamics studies. A power curve has been resolved for the wind turbine using the method of bins and filtering data based on the environmental characteristics of the test site. Field test results agree well with similar data campaigns available through the Small Wind Certification Council and the turbine manufacturer. Comparisons are made between various averaging intervals (30-sec and 60-sec) along with an assessment of how differing averaging intervals change correlation between power and meteorological metrics. Some insight into how obstructions at the test site affect data correlation and the “bin method” analysis are given. WT_Perf was used to produce computational performance predictions for the wind turbine rotor. Comparisons between WT_Perf and field test data show reasonable agreement between the data sets when analyzing the operational wind speed and rotational speed envelopes of the wind turbine.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication33rd Wind Energy Symposium
PublisherAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9781624103445
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015
Event33rd Wind Energy Symposium 2015 - Kissimmee, United States
Duration: Jan 5 2015Jan 9 2015

Publication series

Name33rd Wind Energy Symposium

Other

Other33rd Wind Energy Symposium 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityKissimmee
Period1/5/151/9/15

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Mechanical Engineering

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