Blade Design and Aerodynamic Performance Analysis of a 20 MW Wind Turbine for LCoE Reduction

Kang-Ho Jang and Ki-Wahn Ryu ()
Additional contact information
Kang-Ho Jang: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Graduate School, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 54896, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea
Ki-Wahn Ryu: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 54896, Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-24

Abstract: The aim of this study is to develop a blade mass model that incorporates a low-induction rotor (LIR) and a low-specific power concept to reduce aerodynamic loads and lower the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE). This blade mass model replaces the traditional simple scaling rule and incorporates the concept of LCoE reduction, presenting not only the mass distribution in the blade span direction but also the stiffness distribution. In order to achieve the desired reduction in LCoE, we developed a mathematical model that expresses blade mass as a function of the axial induction factor, which influences the aerodynamic load on the blade. We used this model to determine geometries of various low-induction rotors for 20 MW class horizontal axis wind turbine, and to identify the axial induction factor that correlates with the lowest blade mass. The chord length and twist angle in the spanwise direction of the blade were determined using PROPID’s reverse design process, based on the specified axial induction factor. Since the low-induction concept is not aerodynamically optimal, a low-specific power design approach was also adopted. This involved increasing the blade length and shifting the power curve to the left. By doing so, the AEP is increased, directly contributing to a reduction in the LCoE. Mass per unit length of the blade was presented, reflecting the distribution of airfoil type, blade geometry, and shapes of internal structures such as spars and webs.

Keywords: axial induction factor; blade element momentum theorem; blade mass model; levelized cost of energy; low-induction rotor; low-specific power; preliminary design (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: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/5169/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/13/5169/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:13:p:5169-:d:1187214

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().