Colorado School of Mines Adventure Engineering Physical Science Workshop for Teachers

Aerodynamics 2: Blade
Design
References:
NREL (Pat Moriarty, Tony
Jimenez)
Colorado School of Mines Adventure Engineering Physical Science Workshop for Teachers
June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 2
Blade Design Overview
Blade shape (3-dimensional)

Number of blades

Blade length
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June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 3
Blade Shapes
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June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 4
Airfoil Terminology
Chord c
Thickness
Camber

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June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 5
Sample Airfoils
Which of these blades have
more camber?
more thickness?
a longer chord?

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June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 6
Lift vs. Drag
Lift force
Perpendicular to flow direction (airplane wing)
Drag force
Parallel to flow direction




Drag Machines less efficient
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June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 7
Number of Blades
More blades
Aesthetics
Noise
Aerodynamic
efficiency (C
p
)
Fatigue loading
Fewer blades
Cost

http://www.windpower.org/en/tour/design/concepts.htm
Colorado School of Mines Adventure Engineering Physical Science Workshop for Teachers
June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 8
Solidity
Solidity is the ratio
of the area of the
blades to the swept
area (the area of
the circle containing
the blades)
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June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 9
Effect of Solidity
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Wake Aerodynamics
Turbine Wake
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June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 11
Height matters
Height above ground
affects wind speed


Double wind speed =
8 x power
3
1
2
wind
P V A
Wind Speed, m/s Height
m
50
40
30
20
10
5
0
Surface
12.6
12.2
11.7
11
10
8.8
Courtesy: Alternative Energy Institute
Colorado School of Mines Adventure Engineering Physical Science Workshop for Teachers
June 19 20, 2007 Wind Energy 12
Size
Larger turbines enjoy higher wind
speeds (and economies of scale).