Design and Analysis of Horizontal Axis Small Wind Turbine for Low Wind Velocity Using QBlade

Abstract

Renewable energy systems are of high importance considering the present day energy requirement. In Wind energy systems design and analysis of wind turbines for enhanced efficiency at low at wind speed is studied in this paper. Aero foil shape is the one of the key aspects which determines the efficiency of the turbine. In this paper airfoil G4510, NACA 0018 and NACA 4412 are considered for the study with a blade length of 0.762 m. General Public Licensed Software QBlade is used for the simulation which uses Blade Element Method (BEM). Comparison of performance parameters for different aero foil is presented and blade is designed using G4510 airfoil nomenclature. Using these blades, a three bladed rotor is assembled and structural analysis is performed to know the pressure distribution on different areas of the blade. Finally, a tower is attached to the rotor assembly and simulation is carried on the small wind turbine. Graphical relationship between power, tip speed ratio, velocity and coefficient of pressure is obtained for analysis.