Optimization of airfoil characteristics such as lift and drag is essential for high efficiency wind turbine blade design. In this research, effects of airfoil lift and drag on blade power coefficients were investigate...Optimization of airfoil characteristics such as lift and drag is essential for high efficiency wind turbine blade design. In this research, effects of airfoil lift and drag on blade power coefficients were investigated by using of wind turbine blade design software, PROPID. Firstly, a wind turbine blade of 2MW class was designed with DU-serics airfoils in the inner part and with aNACA series airfoil as a main airfoil in the outer part. Lift distribution was set to have near L/D maximum at each span station. Then, lift and drag curves were modified to observe effect of L/D variation. Drag and lift change with constant L/D on blade power coefficient was also studied for sensitivity investigation. Each case was optimized with Newtonian iteration incorporated in PROPID. High design lift coefficient results in less chord length and twist angle to maintain same aerodynamic load level. And, power coefficient wasn＇t improved much with high L/D. During the process, optimal inputs such as lift distribution, design lift and induction factors were suggested. As results, it was found that L/D maximization was important to obtain high efficiency. For the L/D maximization, lift maximization was important to minimize structural weight, but decreasing drag didn＇t affect the blade shape.展开更多
文摘Optimization of airfoil characteristics such as lift and drag is essential for high efficiency wind turbine blade design. In this research, effects of airfoil lift and drag on blade power coefficients were investigated by using of wind turbine blade design software, PROPID. Firstly, a wind turbine blade of 2MW class was designed with DU-serics airfoils in the inner part and with aNACA series airfoil as a main airfoil in the outer part. Lift distribution was set to have near L/D maximum at each span station. Then, lift and drag curves were modified to observe effect of L/D variation. Drag and lift change with constant L/D on blade power coefficient was also studied for sensitivity investigation. Each case was optimized with Newtonian iteration incorporated in PROPID. High design lift coefficient results in less chord length and twist angle to maintain same aerodynamic load level. And, power coefficient wasn＇t improved much with high L/D. During the process, optimal inputs such as lift distribution, design lift and induction factors were suggested. As results, it was found that L/D maximization was important to obtain high efficiency. For the L/D maximization, lift maximization was important to minimize structural weight, but decreasing drag didn＇t affect the blade shape.
