The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind Turbines
This article presents the analysis of the performance of a flexible wind turbine blade. The simulation analysis is based on a 3 m span blade prototype. The blade has a flexible surface and a cam mechanism that modifies the aerodynamic profile and adapts the surface to different configurations. The b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4988 |
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| author | Azael Duran Castillo Juan C. Jauregui-Correa Francisco Herbert Krystel K. Castillo-Villar Jesus Alejandro Franco Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno Alfredo Alcayde |
| author_facet | Azael Duran Castillo Juan C. Jauregui-Correa Francisco Herbert Krystel K. Castillo-Villar Jesus Alejandro Franco Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno Alfredo Alcayde |
| author_sort | Azael Duran Castillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article presents the analysis of the performance of a flexible wind turbine blade. The simulation analysis is based on a 3 m span blade prototype. The blade has a flexible surface and a cam mechanism that modifies the aerodynamic profile and adapts the surface to different configurations. The blade surface was built with a flexible fiberglass composite, and the internal mechanism consists of a flexible structure actuated with an eccentric cam. The cam mechanism deforms five sections of the blade, and the airfoil geometry for each section was measured from zero cam displacement to full cam displacement. The measured data were interpolated to obtain the aerodynamic profiles of the five sections to model the flexible blade in the simulation process. The simulation analysis consisted of determining the different aerodynamic coefficients for different deformed surfaces and a range of wind speeds. The aerodynamic coefficients were calculated with the BEM method (QBlade<sup>®</sup>); as a result, the data performance of the flexible blade was compared for the different deformation configurations. Finally, a decrease of up to approximately 6% in the mean bending moment suggests that the flexible turbine rotor presented in this article can be used to reduce extreme and fatigue loads on wind turbines. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:51:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c78b3fafa20a4ecbad987b276e1c8ed3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:51:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-c78b3fafa20a4ecbad987b276e1c8ed32023-11-22T07:30:18ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-08-011416498810.3390/en14164988The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind TurbinesAzael Duran Castillo0Juan C. Jauregui-Correa1Francisco Herbert2Krystel K. Castillo-Villar3Jesus Alejandro Franco4Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo5Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno6Alfredo Alcayde7Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Queretaro 76010, MexicoFaculty of Engineering, Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Queretaro 76010, MexicoMechanical Engineering Department, Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USAMechanical Engineering Department, Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USAEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, UNAM, Queretaro 76230, MexicoEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, UNAM, Queretaro 76230, MexicoDepartamento de Física Aplicada, Radiología y Medicina Física, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, SpainDepartment of Engineering, University of Almería, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120 Almería, SpainThis article presents the analysis of the performance of a flexible wind turbine blade. The simulation analysis is based on a 3 m span blade prototype. The blade has a flexible surface and a cam mechanism that modifies the aerodynamic profile and adapts the surface to different configurations. The blade surface was built with a flexible fiberglass composite, and the internal mechanism consists of a flexible structure actuated with an eccentric cam. The cam mechanism deforms five sections of the blade, and the airfoil geometry for each section was measured from zero cam displacement to full cam displacement. The measured data were interpolated to obtain the aerodynamic profiles of the five sections to model the flexible blade in the simulation process. The simulation analysis consisted of determining the different aerodynamic coefficients for different deformed surfaces and a range of wind speeds. The aerodynamic coefficients were calculated with the BEM method (QBlade<sup>®</sup>); as a result, the data performance of the flexible blade was compared for the different deformation configurations. Finally, a decrease of up to approximately 6% in the mean bending moment suggests that the flexible turbine rotor presented in this article can be used to reduce extreme and fatigue loads on wind turbines.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4988wind energydeformable profileefficiencywind turbinerenewable energy |
| spellingShingle | Azael Duran Castillo Juan C. Jauregui-Correa Francisco Herbert Krystel K. Castillo-Villar Jesus Alejandro Franco Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno Alfredo Alcayde The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind Turbines Energies wind energy deformable profile efficiency wind turbine renewable energy |
| title | The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind Turbines |
| title_full | The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind Turbines |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind Turbines |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind Turbines |
| title_short | The Effect of a Flexible Blade for Load Alleviation in Wind Turbines |
| title_sort | effect of a flexible blade for load alleviation in wind turbines |
| topic | wind energy deformable profile efficiency wind turbine renewable energy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4988 |
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