Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
5
Wind Turbine Aerodynamics
Part A: Basic Principles
Robert E. Wilson, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
Introduction
Designing wind turbines starts with knowledge of the aerodynamic forces acting at the
wind machine. This chapter concentrates on the basic principles of the aerodynamics of con-
ventional horizontal- and vertical-axis wind turbines (HAWTs and VAWTs). Aerodynamic
theories are discussed, starting from the
actuator disk model
of a HAWT, extending through
the
Glauert optimum actuator disk model
, to the
strip theory
, which has been the mainstay of
HAWT aerodynamic design and analysis. Various corrections, including
thrust coefficient
modifications
,
tip-loss models
, and
gap corrections
, are developed. Comparisons are made
between test data, strip theory, and
free vortex
calculations to evaluate the accuracy of strip
theory.
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