Wind turbine performance enhancement with minimal structural load penalty: A design philosophy

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Authors
Matheswaran, Vijay
Moriarty, Patrick J.
Advisors
Issue Date
2024-01
Type
Article
Keywords
Aerodynamics , Reinforcement , Retrofitting , Turbine components , Turbomachine blades , Wind turbine blades
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Organizational Units
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Citation
Matheswaran, V. & Moriarty, P.J. (2024). "Wind turbine performance enhancement with minimal structural load penalty: A design philosophy." Wind Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309524X231212565
Abstract

The performance benefits of using tip devices on wind turbines has been well-documented. However, previous studies show that adding blade tip devices such as winglets leads to a significant increase in blade root bending moment, potentially requiring structural reinforcement with cost and weight drawbacks. A new and unique design philosophy for retrofit blade tip devices for wind turbines is presented. By balancing generated aerodynamic and centrifugal loads, these devices offer an increase in power production without the need for structural reinforcement. Predicted performance and cost benefits of using retrofit blade tip devices on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory 5 MW reference wind turbine are shown. The addition of blade tip devices resulted in significant improvements in the coefficient of power (Cp) and annual energy production (AEP).

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Publisher
SAGE Publications Inc.
Journal
Book Title
Series
Wind Engineering
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
0309-524X
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