IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i21p8111-d959131.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Characterization of Aerodynamics of Small Wind Turbine Blade for Enhanced Performance and Low Cost of Energy

Author

Listed:
  • Hailay Kiros Kelele

    (Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
    School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 231, Ethiopia)

  • Lars Frøyd

    (4Subsea AS, Hagaløkkveien 26, 1383 Asker, Norway)

  • Mulu Bayray Kahsay

    (School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Mekelle University, Mekelle P.O. Box 231, Ethiopia)

  • Torbjørn Kristian Nielsen

    (Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway)

Abstract

During a turbine’s lifetime, minimizing the cost of power production should be the primary aim in addition to attaining high technical efficiency. Thus, this paper was aimed at enhancing the aerodynamic efficiency of a site-specific small wind turbine considering the cost of energy as one of the design parameters. The wind distribution of a specific site was employed to characterize the wind using the Weibull distribution method. The aerodynamics of a typical 5 kW wind turbine blade were investigated by implementing a blade element method (BEM) using a MATLAB code that applied the advancements and improvements with different modifications and which was validated by engaging computational fluid dynamics (Ansys-Fluent). The optimal pitch angle was then employed to further promote the performance characteristics of the blade. The cost of energy was reformulated in terms of rated power considering a cost variation of the main components that deviates with the rated power. Accordingly, the performance parameters were investigated against a varying rated power and the relative cost of energy, achieving a maximum power coefficient of 55.37% at a lower cost of energy. Moreover, annual energy production of approximately 18 MWh with a corresponding capacity factor of approximately 41% was achieved at a lower cost of energy. These findings demonstrate that the selected modelling, analysis procedures, and modifications enhance the aerodynamic performance characteristics and lower the cost of energy of the small wind turbine blade, which promotes the affordability and energy harnessing capability of small wind turbines.

Suggested Citation

  • Hailay Kiros Kelele & Lars Frøyd & Mulu Bayray Kahsay & Torbjørn Kristian Nielsen, 2022. "Characterization of Aerodynamics of Small Wind Turbine Blade for Enhanced Performance and Low Cost of Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-23, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:21:p:8111-:d:959131
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/21/8111/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/21/8111/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hirahara, Hiroyuki & Hossain, M. Zakir & Kawahashi, Masaaki & Nonomura, Yoshitami, 2005. "Testing basic performance of a very small wind turbine designed for multi-purposes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 1279-1297.
    2. Sun, Zhenye & Chen, Jin & Shen, Wen Zhong & Zhu, Wei Jun, 2016. "Improved blade element momentum theory for wind turbine aerodynamic computations," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA), pages 824-831.
    3. Perkin, Samuel & Garrett, Deon & Jensson, Pall, 2015. "Optimal wind turbine selection methodology: A case-study for Búrfell, Iceland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 165-172.
    4. Bai, Chi-Jeng & Wang, Wei-Cheng, 2016. "Review of computational and experimental approaches to analysis of aerodynamic performance in horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 506-519.
    5. Rocha, P.A. Costa & Carneiro de Araujo, J.W. & Lima, R.J. Pontes & Vieira da Silva, M.E. & Albiero, D. & de Andrade, C.F. & Carneiro, F.O.M., 2018. "The effects of blade pitch angle on the performance of small-scale wind turbine in urban environments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 169-178.
    6. Francesco Papi & Alberto Nocentini & Giovanni Ferrara & Alessandro Bianchini, 2021. "On the Use of Modern Engineering Codes for Designing a Small Wind Turbine: An Annotated Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-23, February.
    7. Hailay Kiros Kelele & Torbjørn Kirstian Nielsen & Lars Froyd & Mulu Bayray Kahsay, 2020. "Catchment Based Aerodynamic Performance Analysis of Small Wind Turbine Using a Single Blade Concept for a Low Cost of Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, November.
    8. Karthikeyan, N. & Kalidasa Murugavel, K. & Arun Kumar, S. & Rajakumar, S., 2015. "Review of aerodynamic developments on small horizontal axis wind turbine blade," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 801-822.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sikandar Khan, 2023. "A Modeling Study Focused on Improving the Aerodynamic Performance of a Small Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hailay Kiros Kelele & Torbjørn Kirstian Nielsen & Lars Froyd & Mulu Bayray Kahsay, 2020. "Catchment Based Aerodynamic Performance Analysis of Small Wind Turbine Using a Single Blade Concept for a Low Cost of Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, November.
    2. Shafiqur Rehman & Md. Mahbub Alam & Luai M. Alhems & M. Mujahid Rafique, 2018. "Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Blade Design Methodologies for Efficiency Enhancement—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-34, February.
    3. Ali, Qazi Shahzad & Kim, Man-Hoe, 2022. "Power conversion performance of airborne wind turbine under unsteady loads," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    4. N. Aravindhan & M. P. Natarajan & S. Ponnuvel & P.K. Devan, 2023. "Recent developments and issues of small-scale wind turbines in urban residential buildings- A review," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(4), pages 1142-1169, June.
    5. Zhang, Sanxia & Luo, Kun & Yuan, Renyu & Wang, Qiang & Wang, Jianwen & Zhang, Liru & Fan, Jianren, 2018. "Influences of operating parameters on the aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of a horizontal-axis wind turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 597-611.
    6. Francesco Mazzeo & Derek Micheletto & Alessandro Talamelli & Antonio Segalini, 2022. "An Experimental Study on a Wind Turbine Rotor Affected by Pitch Imbalance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-16, November.
    7. Ke Song & Huiting Huan & Yuchi Kang, 2022. "Aerodynamic Performance and Wake Characteristics Analysis of Archimedes Spiral Wind Turbine Rotors with Different Blade Angle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, December.
    8. José Luis Torres-Madroñero & Joham Alvarez-Montoya & Daniel Restrepo-Montoya & Jorge Mario Tamayo-Avendaño & César Nieto-Londoño & Julián Sierra-Pérez, 2020. "Technological and Operational Aspects That Limit Small Wind Turbines Performance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-39, November.
    9. Regodeseves, P. García & Morros, C. Santolaria, 2020. "Unsteady numerical investigation of the full geometry of a horizontal axis wind turbine: Flow through the rotor and wake," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    10. Manisha Sawant & Sameer Thakare & A. Prabhakara Rao & Andrés E. Feijóo-Lorenzo & Neeraj Dhanraj Bokde, 2021. "A Review on State-of-the-Art Reviews in Wind-Turbine- and Wind-Farm-Related Topics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-30, April.
    11. Thé, Jesse & Yu, Hesheng, 2017. "A critical review on the simulations of wind turbine aerodynamics focusing on hybrid RANS-LES methods," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 257-289.
    12. Eid Gul & Giorgio Baldinelli & Pietro Bartocci, 2022. "Energy Transition: Renewable Energy-Based Combined Heat and Power Optimization Model for Distributed Communities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-18, September.
    13. Mauro, S. & Lanzafame, R. & Messina, M. & Brusca, S., 2023. "On the importance of the root-to-hub adapter effects on HAWT performance: A CFD-BEM numerical investigation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    14. Giovanni Ferrara & Alessandro Bianchini, 2021. "Special Issue “Numerical Simulation of Wind Turbines”," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-2, March.
    15. Ayman Al-Quraan & Bashar Al-Mhairat, 2022. "Intelligent Optimized Wind Turbine Cost Analysis for Different Wind Sites in Jordan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-24, March.
    16. Wang, Peilin & Liu, Qingsong & Li, Chun & Miao, Weipao & Yue, Minnan & Xu, Zifei, 2022. "Investigation of the aerodynamic characteristics of horizontal axis wind turbine using an active flow control method via boundary layer suction," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 1032-1048.
    17. Ikeda, Teruaki & Tanaka, Hiroto & Yoshimura, Ryosuke & Noda, Ryusuke & Fujii, Takeo & Liu, Hao, 2018. "A robust biomimetic blade design for micro wind turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 155-165.
    18. Fei-Bin Hsiao & Chi-Jeng Bai & Wen-Tong Chong, 2013. "The Performance Test of Three Different Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) Blade Shapes Using Experimental and Numerical Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 6(6), pages 1-20, June.
    19. Albara M. Mustafa & Abbas Barabadi, 2022. "Criteria-Based Fuzzy Logic Risk Analysis of Wind Farms Operation in Cold Climate Regions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, February.
    20. Lapa, Gabriel Vicentin Pereira & Gay Neto, Alfredo & Franzini, Guilherme Rosa, 2023. "Effects of blade torsion on IEA 15MW turbine rotor operation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 219(P2).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:21:p:8111-:d:959131. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.