Introduction to Wind Turbine Aerodynamics

A. P. SchaffarczykGreen Energy and TechnologyIntroduction to Wind Turbine Aerodynamics201410.1007/978-3-642-36409-9_1

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

1. Introduction

A. P. Schaffarczyk¹  

(1)

Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Applied Sciences, Kiel, Germany

A. P. Schaffarczyk

Email: alois.schaffarczyk@fh-kiel.de

Abstract

Wind energyWind energy has been used for a long time. Beurskens [1] gives a short account of this history and describes the first scientific approaches.

1.1 The Meaning of Wind Turbine Aerodynamics

Wind energyWind energy has been used for a long time. Beurskens [1] gives a short account of this history and describes the first scientific approaches. It is immediately seen that even this applied branch of fluid mechanics suffers from a general malady: Prior to the twentieth century, mathematical descriptions and practical needs were far removed from one another. An impressive report about the history of fluid mechanics can be found in [2–4].

How much power is in the windWind? Imagine an area—not necessarily of circular shape—of $$A_r$$ . The temporally and spatially constant wind may have velocity v perpendicular to this area, see Fig. 1.1. Within a short time $$\mathrm{{d}}t$$ , this area moves by $$\mathrm{{d}}s = \textit{v} \cdot \mathrm{{d}}t$$ . This then gives a volume $$\mathrm{{d}}\textit{V} = A_r \cdot \mathrm{{d}}s$$ . Assuming constant density $$\rho = \mathrm{{d}}m / \mathrm{{d}}\textit{V}$$ , we have a mass of $$\mathrm{{d}}m = \rho \,\cdot \, \mathrm{{d}}V = \rho A_r{\textit{v}}\cdot \mathrm{{d}}t$$ in this volume. All velocities are equal to v, so the kinetic energy content $$\mathrm{{d}}E_\mathrm{{kin}} = \frac{1}{2} \mathrm{{d}}m \cdot \textit{v}^2$$ increases as the volume linearly with time. Defining power as usual by $$P := \mathrm{{d}}E/\mathrm{{d}}t$$ we summarize:

(1.1)

Fig. 1.1

Wind turbine with slip stream

We may transfer this power to a power density (W/m $$^2$$ ) by dividing by the reference area $$A_r$$ . Using an estimated air density of $$1.2 \; \mathrm{{kg/m}}^3$$ , we see that for $$\textit{v} = 12.5 \; \mathrm{{m/s}}$$ this power density matches the so-called solar constant of about $$1.36 \; \mathrm {kW/m}^2$$ . This energy flux ( $$\mathrm{{J/m}}^2 \cdot s$$ ) is supplied by the sun at a distance of one astronomical unit (the distance from the sun to the earth) and may be regarded as the natural reference unit of all renewable power resources. Everybody knows that wind is NOT constant in time, and therefore statistics must be involved.

In the simplest form, a family of two-parameter functions is used:

(1.2)

is a commonly used probability distribution attributed to Weibull.¹ A is connected with the annual averaged mean velocity and k is the shape factor with values between 1 and 4. For most practical applications:

(1.3)

Figure 1.2 shows some examples of Weibull distributions with shape parameters varying from 1.25 to 3.00. In Figs. 1.3 and 1.4, we compare fitted (by the least square algorithm) distributions with a measured distribution. We see that the 2008 data fits rather well, whereas (note the logarithmic y-scale!) 2011 is much worse. Thus, unfortunately we must conclude that the distributions derived from annual data are not constant in time. This has long been known in wind energy as the Wind Index Problem Wind Index Problem. It means that a long-term (e.g., 50 year) average may not be constant over time. Figure 1.5 shows that even over a period of about 10 years, large fluctuations of about 20 % are possible. With Eq. (1.2), some useful limits of annual yield ( $$=$$ useful mechanical work $$=$$ power $$\times $$ time $$=$$ P $$\times $$ 24 $$\times $$ 365.25) can be given, under the assumption that only a fraction $$0 \le c_P \le 1$$ ² of Eq. (1.1) can be given. Using

(1.4)

and

(1.5)

we have for an annual averaged power in the case of k $$=$$ 2 (Rayleigh distribution):

(1.6)

Sometimes this efficiency number is translated into full-load-hours which must be less than 8,760 h per year, or into capacity factors. In a later chapter, we will come back and see how state-of-the-art wind turbines fit into this picture.

Fig. 1.2

Weibull distributions

Fig. 1.3

Comparison with measured data from Kiel, Germany, 2008

Fig. 1.4

Comparison with measured data from Kiel, Germany, 2011

Fig. 1.5

Wind index of Schleswig-Holstein applied to the energy yield of a research wind turbine. 1 $$=$$ nominal output, Note that there was an exchange of blades in 2011

Of course, the question arises how we may justify or even derive special types of wind occurrence probability distributions. A very simple rationale starts from the central limit theorem of probability theory together with the basic rules for transformation of stochastic variables. van Kampen [5] describes it in a somewhat exaggerated manner:

The entire theory of probability is nothing but transforming variables.

We will come back to this interesting question in the context of the statistical theory of turbulence, Sect. 3.​7.

There is one concluding remark about comparing the economical impact of wind turbine blade aerodynamics to helicopters [6] and ship propellers [7]. Assuming a worldwide annual addition of 40 GW of installed wind power, the resulting revenue for just the blades is about 10 Billion Euros. About one thousand helicopters (80 % of them for military purposes) [6] may produce approximately 50 Billion Euros with an unknown smaller amount for just the rotor—estimated less than 10 %. Assuming also 1,000 new ships are built every year, each of them having a propeller of about 100 (metrics) tons of mass, the resulting revenue is 1.5 Billion Euros.

All in all, we see that in less than 20 years, wind energy rotor aerodynamics has exceeded the economic significance of other longer-established industries involving aerodynamics or hydrodynamics.

Fig. 1.6

Wind energy market 2016–2020, partly estimated, sources BTM Consult, Wind Power Monthly, and Global Wind Energy Council

1.2 Problems

Problem 1.1

Calculate the instantaneous power density for v-wind $$=$$ 6, 8, 10, and 12 m/s. Compare with the annual averaged values (Rayleigh distributed, k $$=$$ 2, then $$A = \bar{\textit{v}}$$ ) of 4, 5, 6, and 7 m/s. Take density of air to $$\rho = 1.26\,\mathrm {kg/m}^3$$ .

Problem 1.2

Assume $$c_P = 0.58$$ , $$c_P = 0.5$$ , and $$c_P = 0.4$$ . Calculate the corresponding annual averaged $${{\bar{c}}_P}$$ .

Problem 1.3

Assume that a 2D (velocity) vector has a Gaussian 2-parameter distribution

(1.7)

for both components v $$=$$ ( $$u,\textit{v}$$ ). Calculate the distribution of length $$y = \sqrt{u^2 + \textit{v}^2}$$ .

Problem 1.4

A German reference site is defined as a location with vertical variation of wind speed by

(1.8)

(1.9)

A historical Dutch windmill with $$D = 21\,\text {m}, \; z_{hub} = 17.5\,\text {m}$$ is quoted to have a (5-year’s) reference yield of 248 MWh. Calculate an efficiency by relating the average annual power with that the same rotor would have with $$c_P = 16/27$$ and a Rayleigh distribution of wind.

References

1.

Beurskens J (2014) History of wind energy (Chap. 1). In: Schaffarczyk AP (ed) Understanding wind power technology. Wiley, Chichester, UK

2.

Darrigol O (2005) Worlds of flow. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK

3.

Eckert M (2006) The dawn of fluid mechanics. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany

4.

McLean D (2013) Understanding aerodynamics, Boeing. Wiley, Chichester, UK

5.

van Kampen NG (2007) Stochastic processes in physics and chemistry, 3rd edn. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

6.

Leishman JG (2006) Principles of helicopter aerodynamics, 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

7.

Breslin JP, Andersen P (1996) Hydrodynamics of ship propellers, Cambridge University Press

Footnotes

1

A Weibull distribution with k $$=$$ 2 is called a Rayleigh distribution.

2

$$c_P$$ is the efficiency of a wind turbine.

A. P. SchaffarczykGreen Energy and TechnologyIntroduction to Wind Turbine Aerodynamics201410.1007/978-3-642-36409-9_2

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

2. Types of Wind Turbines

A. P. Schaffarczyk¹  

(1)

Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Applied Sciences, Kiel, Germany

A. P. Schaffarczyk

Email: alois.schaffarczyk@fh-kiel.de

Abstract

Equation (1.​5) from Chap. 1 may also be used to define an efficiency or power coefficient $$0 \le c_P \le 1$$ .

Ich halte dafür, daß das einzige Ziel der Wissenschaft darin besteht, die Mühseligkeit der menschlichen Existenz zu erleichtern (Presumably for the principle that science’s sole aim must be to lighten the burden of human existence, B. Brecht) [1].

Equation (1.​5) from Chap. 1 may also be used to define an efficiency or power coefficient $$0 \le c_P \le 1$$ :

(2.1)

Wind turbine aerodynamic analysis frequently involves the derivation of useful equations and numbers for this quantity. Most (in fact, almost all) wind turbines use rotors which produce torque or moment of force

(2.2)

with $$\omega = \mathrm {RPM} \cdot \pi / 30$$ the angular velocity. Comparing tip speed $$v_\mathrm{{Tip}} = \omega \cdot R_\mathrm{{Tip}}$$ and wind speed, we have

(2.3)

the Tip-speed-ratio tip speed ration (TSR). Figure 2.1, sometimes called the map of wind turbines, gives an overview of efficiencies as a function of non-dimensional RPM. The numbers are estimated efficiencies only. A few remarks are germane to the discussion. From theory (Betz, Glauert), there are clear efficiency limits, but no theoretical maximum TSR. In contrast, the semiempirical curves for each type of wind turbine have a clearly defined maximum efficiency value.

Fig. 2.1

Map of wind turbines

2.1 Historical and State-of-the-Art Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines

The wind energy community is very proud of its long history. Some aspects of this history are presented in [2, 3]. Apparently, the oldest one [3] is the so-called Persian windmill (Fig. 2.2). It was first described around 900 AD and is viewed from our system of classification (see Sect. 2.6) as a drag-driven windmill with a vertical axis of rotation.

Fig. 2.2

Persian windmill

Fig. 2.3

Dutch windmill

Somewhat later, the Dutch windmill appeared as the famous Windmill Psalter of 1279 [3], see Fig. 2.3. This represented a milestone in technological development: The axis of rotation changed from vertical to horizontal. But also from the point of view of aerodynamics, the Dutch concept began the slow movement toward another technological development: lift replacing drag. These two types of forces simply refer to forces perpendicular and in-line with the direction of flow. The reason this is not trivial stems from D’Alembert’s Paradox:

Theorem 2.1

There are no forces on a solid body in an ideal flow regime.

We will continue this discussion further in Chap. 3. These very early concepts survived for quite a few centuries. Only with the emergence of electrical generators and airplanes were these new technologies adapted, in the course of a few decades, to what is now called the standard horizontal axis wind turbine:

horizontal axis of rotation

three bladed

driving forces mainly from lift

upwind arrangement of rotor; tower downwind

variable speed/constant TSR operation

pitch control after rated power is reached.

2.2 Non-Standard HAWTs

With this glimpse of what a standard wind turbine should be, everything else is non-standard:

no horizontal axis of rotation

number of blades other than three (one, two, or more than three)

drag forces play important role

downwind arrangement of rotor; tower upwind

constant speed operation

so-called stall control after rated power is reached.

From these characteristics, we may derive a large number of different designs. Only a few of them became popular enough to acquire their own names (Fig. 2.4):

Fig. 2.4

Lift and drag forces on an aerodynamic section

The American or Western-type turbine [3]. Chapter 1 uses a very high (10–50) number of blades which in most cases are flat plates with a small angle between plane of rotation and chord. These turbines were used mainly in the second half of the nineteenth century, see Fig.