Wind Turbine Aerodynamics And Vorticity Based Methods

The book introduces the fundamentals of fluid-mechanics, momentum theories, vortex theories and vortex methods necessary for the study of rotors aerodynamics and wind-turbines aerodynamics in particular. Rotor theories are presented in a great level of details at the beginning of the book. These theories include: the blade element theory, the Kutta-Joukowski theory, the momentum theory and the blade element momentum method. A part of the book is dedicated to the description and implementation of vortex methods. The remaining of the book focuses on the study of wind turbine aerodynamics using vortex-theory analyses or vortex-methods. Examples of vortex-theory applications are: optimal rotor design, tip-loss corrections, yaw-models and dynamic inflow models. Historical derivations and recent extensions of the models are presented. The cylindrical vortex model is another example of a simple analytical vortex model presented in this book. This model leads to the development of different BEM models and it is also used to provide the analytical velocity field upstream of a turbine or a wind farm under aligned or yawed conditions. Different applications of numerical vortex methods are presented. Numerical methods are used for instance to investigate the influence of a wind turbine on the incoming turbulence. Sheared inflows and aero-elastic simulations are investigated using vortex methods for the first time. Many analytical flows are derived in details: vortex rings, vortex cylinders, Hill's vortex, vortex blobs etc. They are used throughout the book to devise simple rotor models or to validate the implementation of numerical methods. Several Matlab programs are provided to ease some of the most complex implementations.

Wind power is an increasingly significant renewable energy resource, producing no environmentally damaging CO2 emissions. The efficient production of electricity by wind turbines relies on aerodynamics: Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines provides the fundamental solutions to efficient wind turbine design. Following a historical introduction, Part 1 of Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines is concerned with basic rotor aerodynamics, while Part 2 deals with structural aspects of the wind turbine and calculation of the loads on it. Topics covered include increasing mass flow through the turbine, performance at low and high wind speeds, assessment of the extreme conditions under which the turbine will perform and the theory for calculating the lifetime of the turbine. The classical Blade Element Momentum method is also covered, as are eigenmodes and the dynamic behavior of a turbine. Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines is an essential reference for both engineering students and others with a professional or academic interest in the physics and technologies behind horizontal axis wind turbines. It will provide a sound understanding of the mechanisms behind the generation of forces on a wind turbine.

This handbook provides both a comprehensive overview and deep insights on the state-of-the-art methods used in wind turbine aerodynamics, as well as their advantages and limits. The focus of this work is specifically on wind turbines, where the aerodynamics are different from that of other fields due to the turbulent wind fields they face and the resultant differences in structural requirements. It gives a complete picture of research in the field, taking into account the different approaches which are applied. This book would be useful to professionals, academics, researchers and students working in the field.

A review of the aerodynamics, design and analysis, and optimization of wind turbines, combined with the author’s unique software Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines is a comprehensive introduction to the aerodynamics, scaled design and analysis, and optimization of horizontal-axis wind turbines. The author –a noted expert on the topic – reviews the fundamentals and basic physics of wind turbines operating in the atmospheric boundary layer. He then explores more complex models that help in the aerodynamic analysis and design of turbine models. The text contains unique chapters on blade element momentum theory, airfoil aerodynamics, rotational augmentation, vortex-wake methods, actuator-line modeling, and designing aerodynamically scaled turbines for model-scale experiments. The author clearly demonstrates how effective analysis and design principles can be used in a wide variety of applications and operating conditions. The book integrates the easy-to-use, hands-on XTurb design and analysis software that is available on a companion website for facilitating individual analyses and future studies. This component enhances the learning experience and helps with a deeper and more complete understanding of the subject matter. This important book: Covers aerodynamics, design and analysis and optimization of wind turbines Offers the author’s XTurb design and analysis software that is available on a companion website for individual analyses and future studies Includes unique chapters on blade element momentum theory, airfoil aerodynamics, rotational augmentation, vortex-wake methods, actuator-line modeling, and designing aerodynamically scaled turbines for model-scale experiments Demonstrates how design principles can be applied to a variety of applications and operating conditions Written for senior undergraduate and graduate students in wind energy as well as practicing engineers and scientists, Aerodynamics of Wind Turbines is an authoritative text that offers a guide to the fundamental principles, design and analysis of wind turbines.

This book reconsiders the basic approaches behind the BEM method and in particular assesses and validates the equations forming the general momentum theory. One part of the book concerns the validation, using numerical fluid mechanics (CFD), of the different terms in the equations forming the momentum theory. Other parts present new ideas for extending the theory and for enhancing the accuracy of the BEM approach. Besides a general introduction and explanation of the momentum theory, the book also deals with specialized topics, such as diffusor-augmented rotors, wind tunnel corrections, tip corrections, and combined momentum/vortex theory for design of wind turbine rotors. The book contains new as well as already published material, and the author has strived to put the material into a new and more consistent context than what usually is found in similar text books. The book is primarily intended for researchers and experienced students with a basic knowledge in fluid mechanics wishing to understand and expand their knowledge on wind turbine aerodynamics. The book is self-consistent, hence all necessary derivations are shown, and it should not be necessary to seek help in other literature to understand the contents of the book.

This book deals with horizontal-axis wind turbine aerodynamic performance prediction methods. It focuses on the traditional and newly-developed methods for the wind turbine aerodynamic performance calculation. The fundamental theories of fluid mechanics essential for understanding the other parts of this book are firstly introduced in Part I, followed by the blade element momentum theory in Part II, with special attentions to a systematic review of various correction models. Part III is mainly about the prescribed and free vortex wake methods, while the state-of-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods are detailed in Part IV. Part III thoroughly describes the prescribed and free vortex wake methods which are still of great importance towards realistic investigation of wind turbine performance. Despite the highly computational cost, the CFD methods in Part IV have received increasing interest from the academic community since they provide more detailed information about the flow field around the wind turbine. This has shed a light in combination with the correction models introduced in Part II on more advanced research for wind turbine. This book is intended for researchers and students interested in aerodynamics of wind turbine and is particularly suitable for practicing engineers in wind energy. Readers can gain a comprehensive understanding in both classical and up-to-date methods for the study of wind turbine aerodynamics. The authors hope that this book can promote the research and development of wind turbines.