Assessment of Correction Methods Applied to BEMT for Predicting Performance of Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines

Hércules Araújo Oliveira (), José Gomes de Matos, Luiz Antonio de Souza Ribeiro, Osvaldo Ronald Saavedra and Jerson Rogério Pinheiro Vaz
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Hércules Araújo Oliveira: Institute of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil
José Gomes de Matos: Institute of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil
Luiz Antonio de Souza Ribeiro: Institute of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil
Osvaldo Ronald Saavedra: Institute of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil
Jerson Rogério Pinheiro Vaz: Faculty of Energy Engineering, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Brazil

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-26

Abstract: Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) is the most used method to design horizontal-axis wind turbines worldwide. This is because BEMT has a low computational cost and easy numerical implementation. Additionally, it is demonstrated in the literature that the prediction of output power using BEMT agrees well with experimental data. Another important feature of the BEMT is its applicability to small, medium, and large-sized turbines. However, BEMT models are usually implemented and adjusted for a specific power range turbine, and they are not applied in a more general form. Thus, this article presents an analysis of additional correction methods for tip and root losses, high values of the axial induction factor, and high angle of attack to better represent horizontal-axis turbines in terms of numerical stability. The approach has the intention of combining several complementary correction methods strategically inserted in the BEMT in order to compile an algorithm that is more general, stable, and workable for any turbine size. The main contribution of this work is to propose a stable BEMT numerical algorithm through the assessment of the combination of the correction methods available in the literature, i.e., classical and modern ones. The algorithm ensures applicability for small, medium, and large-sized wind turbines, as well as being fast and easy to implement in any computer and extendable even to turbines with a diffuser. This approach is validated by comparing the results with experimental data from four turbines of different power ranges (1.9 kW to 7.3 MW). The results show the best approximations for performance power curves against the measured values of all turbines. Moreover, it is effective, less complex, and quick in analyzing the performance of those turbines. Furthermore, the need for high-performance computers to analyze the performance of horizontal-axis turbines is avoided.

Keywords: wind turbine; turbine performance; energy conversion; wind energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:8:p:7021-:d:1129829

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