Enhanced energy extraction in small-scale wind turbines through slot-based passive blowing

Enhanced energy extraction in small-scale wind turbines through slot-based passive blowing

Blog Article

The increasing demand for sustainable energy has spurred research and development Meter of wind turbines.In this study, a passive flow-control technique using a non-uniform curved slot is proposed.The slot is engraved on the mid-chord region of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Phase VI wind turbine blade, between the quarter-span and tip radial stations.The impact of slot-induced flow control is investigated using three-dimensional transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling across a range of wind speeds, including pre-stall and deep-stall conditions.

Aerodynamic analyses are performed to ascertain the influence of slot-flow on the complex three-dimensional flow dynamics around the blade.The slotted blade demonstrates significant improvements in low-speed shaft torque and power compared to the baseline SMARTBOND STEP 1 blade.Additionally, the slotted blade experiences increment in the inherent thrust and flapwise bending moments.Detailed wake flow field and surface flow visualization indicate that the slot promotes a more streamlined attached flow across the blade span, delaying flow transition and suppressing turbulence on the blade surface and downstream wake.

The slot-flow also reduces radial flow and tip-vorticity anomalies along the blade.Overall, flow control enhancement achieved by the slotted blade significantly boosts the annual energy production of the wind turbine.