TESTING BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF WIND TURBINE MODEL

Abstract

The article presents the process and research results, whose purpose was performance of the main characteristics of the wind turbine model WindPitch ™. Construction of model from Horizon Fuel Cell company allows a comprehensive study of physical phenomena associated with the turbine and enables the measurement and calculation of technical parameters as well as determines the operating characteristic for different model configurations. Volatility of the most significant parameter of tested model, meaning generated output power as a function of wind speed, has been measured for different configurations of blades mounted in the rotor. Research analysis refers both to the shape of blades’ profile, change of their angle of inclination and their variable number mounted in the rotor. Power generated by the model with installed triple vaned rotor has been studied for angles of 10, 30 and 60 degrees for each of researched profiles, BP-28, BP-44 and BP-63. Moreover, four variants of turbine rotor expansion as been analyzed. The power generated as a function of wind speed is determined for rotors having two, three, four and six blades and the fixed angle of inclination equal to 10 degrees. For each configuration also was defined the starting speed, and its variation depending on the configuration is shown in the relevant diagrams. Measurements were carried out in the range of wind speed changes, for which the rating parameters of the model operation were not exceeded. Measurement of PE power generated by the turbine was made by indirect technical method, while the speed was determined by the direct method, using a tachometer. Speed of wind has been changed by set of fan and inverter and measured by cup manometers.