Browsing by Author "Adu-Gyamfi, Samuel"

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    Computer-Aided Design Optimisation of Wind Turbine Airfoil for Low Wind Speed Applications
    (2013) Adu-Gyamfi, Samuel
    Low wind speed conditions in various parts of Ghana calls for a wind turbine blade capable of giving maximum circulation to produce a high lift which will turn turbines. In this thesis, a wind speed of at least 3 m/s is used as a benchmark in optimizing the design of a blade airfoil to give optimal performance during low wind speed conditions. Blade-element momentum theory which is the current mainstay of aerodynamic design for horizontal-axis wind turbine blade was used in the optimization process. A couple of design processes were considered to arrive at successful wind turbine design. Ten high-lift-coefficient airfoils, which could give high lift leading to high moment at low wind speed conditions, were selected and their aerodynamics parameters iterated and tested for optimum performance under low wind speed conditions. The iteration of these aerodynamics parameters were computed and analysed using a programmed spreadsheet for all the ten profiles. For each section of the blade, the airfoil that gave the highest power coefficient was used. The sections were then lofted to form a seamless blade. The resulting low wind speed blade airfoil design offers substantial improvements on the reference designs. The application of optimization methods successfully aided the creation of a wind turbine blade with consistent peak performance over a range of design points