Catchment Based Aerodynamic Performance Analysis of Small Wind Turbine Using a Single Blade Concept for a Low Cost of Energy

Hailay Kiros Kelele, Torbjørn Kirstian Nielsen, Lars Froyd and Mulu Bayray Kahsay
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Hailay Kiros Kelele: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, KolbjørnHejes v 1B, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Torbjørn Kirstian Nielsen: Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, KolbjørnHejes v 1B, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Lars Froyd: 4Subsea AS, Hagaløkkveien 26, 1383 Asker, Norway
Mulu Bayray Kahsay: School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 231 Mekelle, Ethiopia

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: For low and medium wind conditions, there is a possibility to harness maximum wind potential reducing the cost of energy by employing catchment-based wind turbine designs. This paper aims to study catchment-based small wind turbine aerodynamic performance for improved efficiency and reduced cost of energy. Hence, design parameters are considered based on specific conditions within a catchment area. The bins and statistical methods implemented with Weibull distribution of wind data for selected sites to characterize the wind conditions and a weighted average method proposed to create representative wind conditions implementing a single blade concept. The blade element method was applied using Matlab code (version R2017a, MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, US) for aerodynamic design and analysis, and computational fluid dynamics employed using ANSYS—Fluent (version 18.1, ANSYS Inc., Canonsburg, PA, USA) for validation. The performance of the designed blade is evaluated based on annual energy production, capacity factor and power coefficient. Then, for site-specific wind conditions, yearly energy production, and relative cost of energy are examined against rated power. Appropriate rated power for a low cost of energy identified and performance measures evaluated for each site. As a result, a maximum power coefficient of around 51.8% achieved at a design wind speed of 10 m/s, and higher capacity factors of 28% and 50.9% respectively attained for the low and high wind conditions at the proposed rated powers. Therefore, for different wind condition sites, enhanced performance at a low cost of energy could be achieved using a single blade concept at properly selected rated powers employing suitable design conditions and procedures.

Keywords: capacity factor; annual energy production; cost of energy; single blade concept; rated power; performance analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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