Research shows that leading-edge blade erosion can cause up to 20% in AEP losses. Unfortunately, these losses in efficiency can impact the bottom line for the wind turbine owner with untapped potential compounding throughout the years. Furthermore, surface roughness and leading edge erosion can amplify the issue.” “Some design compromises can lead to aerodynamic stall, which causes a reduction in efficiency and lower AEP. “A wind blade’s design cannot be aimed solely at maximizing aerodynamics,” he says.
#VORTEX GENERATOR INSTALL#
He says EDF Renewable Services recently announced a partnership to install 3M Wind Vortex Generators on all wind turbines the company services across the U.S.Įach turbine blade has a unique shape and properties, so the position of vortex generators are customized for each blade to maximize performance.Īccording to Santhosh Chandrabalan, the 3M Global Business Manager for wind energy, wind-turbine designers typically must balance manufacturing capabilities with efficiency. “In fact, many turbine and blade OEMs are now are offering VGs from the factory because the devices have a track record and can maximize a wind turbine’s output and efficiency.” Recently, we have seen automobiles come out with VGs to increase efficiency.” Kasmer says the main reason VGs are attracting so much industry attention is because the devices offer proven AEP improvements. The aerospace industry has been installing VGs on airplane wings for decades to increase the lift. “Vortex generators are not new technology. These small devices adhere to a turbine blade to modify the surface airflow and can optimize the aerodynamic performance. This can be done through vortex generators or VGs.” Then we also have a third option: blade aerodynamic optimization. “We also have yaw optimization, which is correcting the yaw offset of a turbine tower. They’re going in and adjusting pitch parameters for greater accuracy,” Kasmer adds. “We have pitch optimization, which a lot of OEMs are doing right now. He first points to pitch and yaw controls, which refer to the blade angle adjustment and turbine orientation, respectively. So, how can a wind operator increase wind-farm AEP from turbine blades? ” We have a few options,” shares Charles Kasmer, a Customer Account Manager with O&M provider, EDF Renewable Services. Typically, blades are shaped to generate the maximum power from the wind at the minimum costs, but manufacturers are continually looking for ways to develop more efficient designs and increase production. Similar to an airplane wing, wind-turbine blades work by generating lift from their shape. This helps reduce flow separation and increases the performance of the entire turbine, in terms of power, loads, and service life. Vortex generators, attached to the root section of a turbine blade, can help improve performance by energizing flow around the surface. The blades of large pitch-regulated wind turbines typically have suboptimal aerodynamic properties at the root.
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