 A revised theoretical analysis of aerodynamic optimization of horizontal-axis wind turbines based on BEM theoryRicardo Luiz Utsch de Freitas Pinto and Bruna Patrícia Furtado Gonçalves Renewable Energy, 2017, vol. 105, issue C, 625-636 Abstract: This article presents a revised theoretical analysis of aerodynamic optimization of horizontal-axis wind turbines, including drag effects, based on Blade Element-Momentum theory. It is demonstrated that horizontal-axis wind turbines can never reach Betz limit, even in the absence of drag effects. Formulating the optimization problem as a nonlinear programming problem with equality and inequality constraints, it is confirmed that, in order to reach maximum performance, all blade sections have to operate under maximum lift-to-drag ratio condition. This condition has been adopted in the literature, but without a mathematical proof that is indeed true. The optimal distributions of axial and tangential induction factors are determined adopting a different approach from those found in the literature. The results include a diagram where both, the optimal operating tip speed ratio and the maximum power coefficient, can be quickly found as functions of the maximum airfoil lift-to-drag ratio. Keywords: Horizontal-axis wind turbine; Optimal wind blades geometry; Multiplier rules; BEM theory (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:105:y:2017:i:c:p:625-636 DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2016.12.076 Access Statistics for this article Renewable Energy is currently edited by Soteris A. Kalogirou and Paul Christodoulides More articles in Renewable Energy from Elsevier |
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