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RESEARCH ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS
Development and Performance Test of a Micro Horizontal Axis
Wind Turbine Blade
Engr. Muhammad Shuwa, Dr. Garba Mohammed Ngala Engr. Muhammad
Maina
Center for Entrepreneurial and Enterprise Development University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Center for Entrepreneurial and Enterprise Development University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This study describes the development and experimental studies performed to investigate the performance of a
1.5 m long Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine blade on a 4meter tower using 8 o as an angle of attack. The blade was
design using the Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEM), blade parameters such as the chord length, angle of
attack, Tip Speed Ratio, Rotor diameter, Lift and Drag force were determined. The designed blade profile was
developed and tested on an open field at Maiduguri where the average wind speed is 3.89m/s, the result shows
that the maximum extractable power is 142.66 W at a wind relative velocity of 4.8m/s when the blade is at 8 o
angle of attack and 3 x 106 Reynolds Number. However, measured power increase consistently with increased in
wind speed. Therefore the developed HAWT blade profile has shown the ability to perform thus, the blade is
expected to be a means of extracting and generating energy from wind which is a renewable, clean and locally
available source of energy in Maiduguri and its environs. The use of this energy source will reduce the large
dependence on non-renewable, expensive and environmentally unfriendly means of energy generation.
Keywords: BEM, Performance Test, Turbine Blade, Chord Length, Relative Angle
I. NOMENCLATURE x - Specified Distance along the Blade Span
P - The Extractable Power from the wind S.F- Shear Force
A - Swept Area of the Rotor 𝑣𝑚𝑎𝑥 – Average Maximum Wind Speed
ρ - Air Density 𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖 . – Ultimate Wind Speed
v- Wind Relative Velocity 𝛾𝐹 - Factor of Safety
D- Rotor Diameter 𝐶𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏 . - Probability of Collapse
r - Rotor Radius 𝑚 - Meter
C - Chord Length 𝑊– Watts
Ω- Angular Velocity of the Rotor 𝑠− Second
Θ- Angle of Attack
ϕ - Wind Relative Angle II. INTRODUCTION
η - Efficiency of the Blade on the Wind Turbine Wind is among the most popular and
L- Blade Span fastest‐growing forms of electricity generation in the
ṙ- Radial Length of the Blade Element world, which is pollution free and available almost at
dṙ - Increase in Blade Span Length any time of the day, especially in the coastal and arid
T - Rotor Torque regions like Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria (Ajao
σ - Solidity and Adegan, 2009).
λr - Tip Speed Ratio Wind potentials are harness with the use of wind
Cp - The Power Coefficient turbines; turbines are mechanical devices that use the
CL - Coefficient of Lift kinetic energy of the wind and convert it to
CD - Coefficient of Drag mechanical energy, this is then used to produce
FL - Lift Force electricity (Raja et al; 2006). There are two types of
FD - Drag Force wind turbines, horizontal and vertical axis wind
Re - Reynolds Number turbines. Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT)
F - Resultant Force have their axis of rotation of their blades horizontal to
B - Number of Blades the ground and almost parallel to the wind stream,
PT - Power Developed by the Turbine while the Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT)
N- Speed of the Rotor have the rotor shaft and blades vertically (Ngo and
w - Uniformly Distributed Load Natiwitz, 2010). Most of the wind turbines fall under
B.M. - Bending Moment
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Engr. M Shuwa et al. Int. Journal of Engineering Research and Applications www.ijera.com
ISSN: 2248-9622, Vol. 6, Issue 2, (Part - 3) February 2016, pp.11-17
the category of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (or angle) the blade will simply be pushed backwards
because they have some distinct advantages such as (downwind). But since wind turbine blades are set at
low cut-in wind speed and easy furling. In general, an angle, the wind is deflected at an opposite angle,
they show relatively high power coefficient pushing the blades away from the deflected wind
(Rajakumar and Raviandran, 2010). (Peter and Richard, 2012).
A Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine consists of four ii. The Bernoulli Effect tells us that faster moving air
main parts, i.e. the rotor, generator, gearbox and the has lower pressure. Wind turbine blades are shaped
control system. The rotor consists of the blade, the so that the air molecules moving around the blade
hub and the shaft, the blade is key element of wind travel faster on the downwind side of the blade than
turbines which converts the kinetic energy of the those moving across the upwind side of the blade.
wind in to electricity through generators. In order to This shape, known as an airfoil, is like an uneven
extract the maximum kinetic energy from the wind, teardrop. The downwind side of the blade has a large
the blade airfoil (geometry) should be effectively curve, while the upwind side is relatively flat. Since
design. An airfoil means a two dimensional cross- the air is moving faster on the curved, downwind side
section shape of a blade whose purpose is to either of the blade, there is less pressure on this side of the
generate lift or minimize drag when exposed to a blade. This difference in pressure on the opposite
moving fluid (Chandrala et al; 2012). The rotor sides of the blade causes the blade to be “lifted”
(blades fixed on a hub) is driven by the wind and towards the curve of the airfoil (Petal and Damania,
rotates at predefined speed in terms of the wind 2013).
speed, the power produced by the generator depend The design of a horizontal axis wind turbine
on the relative wind speed especially of the area blade start first by knowing the amount of wind
where the turbine is sited. energy the turbine blade can be able to extract from
The blade geometry of this study is to be develop the wind. The wind energy that can be extracted by a
for Maiduguri and environ, Maiduguri is located on wind turbine blade is given by half the air density, the
latitude 11o 51’N and longitude 13o09’E Borno State cross-sectional area of the rotor and the cube of the
Northeastern Nigeria; the area is characterized by free steam velocity as given in Equation 1 below. The
somewhat lower elevations, level terrain, and sandy rotor diameter (D) is calculated from the same
soils with an estimated population of 1.5 million equation at the rated wind power and wind speed
people (CENSUS, 1995). (Peter and Richard, 2012).
Investigation carried out on the prospect of wind 1
𝑃 = 𝜌𝐴𝑣 3 (1)
energy utilization reveal that an extractable power 2
from wind in Borno State northeastern Nigeria gives Where: P is the wind energy extracted
a mean energy density of 42 kWh/m2 of electricity 𝜌is the air density (1.225 kg/m3)
with the mean wind speed at 10 meter height of about 𝜋𝐷 2
A is the swept area and is given by
3.89 m/s and probability of occurrence between 75% 4
to 80% in a year, these gives Maiduguri in Borno 𝑣is the air velocity
State to be one of the highest prospects for wind From equation (1) the rotor diameter D will be
generated electricity in Nigeria (Ngala et al, 2004). 8𝑃
The aim of the study is to develop and carry out 𝐷= (2)
𝜋𝜌𝑣 3
performance test of a micro Horizontal Axis Wind
Turbine blade. Based on this goal, the study is set to
achieve the following objectives: IV. METHODOLOGY
i. design the micro Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine The method adopted for this study is to design a
blade. Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Blade using Blade
ii. physically develop the micro HorizontalAxis Element Momentum (BEM) Theory,Blade Element
Wind Turbine blade Momentum (BEM) method is the oldest and remains
iii. experimentally verify the design criteria by to be the most widely used method for predicting
testing the micro blade wind turbine performance. It was originally
developed by Glauert H. a German aeronautical
III. THEORITICAL BACKGROUND engineer in 1935, who combined blade element
There are two important reasons why wind theory and momentum theory to analyze the airplane
turbine blades are able to spin in the wind: Newton’s propeller performance (Petal and Daminia, 2013).
Third Law and the Bernoulli Effect: Blade element theory assumes that blades can be
i. Newton’s Third Law states that for every action, subdivided into multiple elements, which can act
there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the case of independently as two-dimensional airfoils. The forces
a wind turbine blade, the action of the wind pushing and moments can be calculated separately then
air against the blade causes the reaction of the blade summed to obtain the overall blade forces and
being deflected, or pushed. If the blade has no pitch moments. Blade parameters which include chord
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length (C), rotor diameter (D), blade radial length turbine blade efficiency (𝜂), ( shear force (SF) and
𝑟 , blade relative angle (𝜙), blade span (L), angle of bending moment (BM) as shown in Figure 1 below.
attack (θ), tip speed ratio (𝝀𝒓 ), solidity (𝜍), lift force These are calculated from the following equations;
(FL), drag force (FD), the power coefficient (CP),
Figure 1. Blade Aerodynamic Parameters
The chord length (C) is the length from the the blade design and is given by Equation 8 below.
leading edge to the trailing edge of a blade cross As well the probability of collapse (𝐶𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏 . ) that is the
section that is parallel to the vertical axis of probability that the blade can with stand such a wind
symmetry(Chandrala, et al; 2012) and is given by speed without failing considering 1.5 as factor of
Equation 3 below and the wind relative angle (𝜙) is safety is given by Equation 9 below.
given by Equation 4. 𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖 . = 𝑣𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝛾𝐹 𝐶𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏 . (8)
8𝜋𝑟
𝐶= 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜙 (3)
𝐵𝐶𝐿 𝑛
2 1
1 − 𝑘 𝑥𝐼𝑛 −𝐼𝑛 1 − 0.01
𝜙 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛 −1
(4) 𝐶𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏 . = 9
3 𝜆𝑟
𝑟 1 − 𝑘 𝑥𝐼𝑛 −𝐼𝑛 0.98
𝑟
The tip speed ratio (𝝀𝒓 ) is the ratio of the blade The lift force (FL) given by Equation 10 above is
tip speed over wind speed. It is a significant the force acting on the blade perpendicular to the
parameter for wind turbine design (Han, 2011) and its undisturbed wind flow and the drag force (FD) given
definition is shown in Equation 5 below. The blade by Equation 11 below is the force acting on the blade
𝜔𝑟 2𝜋𝑁𝑟 in the direction of the undisturbed wind flow.
𝝀𝒓 = = (5) 1
𝑣 60𝑣
𝐹𝐿 = 𝜌 𝑣 2 𝐶 𝐿 𝐶𝐿 (10)
The angle of attack (𝜃) is the angle between the 2
1
incoming flow stream and the chord line of the 𝐹𝐷 = 𝜌 𝑣 2 𝐶 𝐿 𝐶𝐷 (11)
2
airfoil. At low angles of attack, the dimensionless lift The shear force (SF) on the blade is given by
coefficient increases linearly with angle of attack and Equation 12, while the bending moment (BM) at a
drag is reasonably small. Flow is attached to the distance x along the span of the blade is by Equation
airfoil throughout this regime. At an angle of attack 13.
of roughly 100, the flow on the upper surface of the 𝑆. 𝐹. = −𝑤𝑥 (12)
airfoil begins to separate and a condition known as 1
𝐵. 𝑀. = − 𝑤 𝐿 − 𝑟 2 (13)
stall begins to develop. The dimensionless lift 2
coefficient peaks and the dimensionless drag The power coefficient is a measure of the
coefficient increases as stall increases (Ajao and mechanical power delivered by the rotor to the
Adegan, 2009). The angle of attack is given by turbine’s low-speed shaft. It is defined as the ratio of
Equation 6 below. the mechanical power to the power available in the
2 wind (Ajao and Adegan, 2009) and is given by
𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 (6)
3𝜆 𝑟 Equation 14 below..
Solidity ratio (𝜍) is the ratio of the area occupied 2𝑃 𝑇
𝐶𝑃 = 3 2 (14)
by the blade to the available free space and is given 𝜌𝜋 𝑣 𝑟
by Equation 7 below. The turbine efficiency which largely depends on the
𝐵𝑥𝐶 blade performance is given Equation 15 below.
𝜍= (7) 𝐶 𝑥27
2𝜋𝑟 𝜂= 𝑃 (15)
The ultimate wind speed (𝑣𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖 . ) is the maximum 16
wind speed the blade is expected to withstand base on
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4.1 Blade Material and Method of Construction be shaped to the required airfoil section based on the
The blade was constructed using high design parameters and the brown shaded spaces
density wood for the skeletal, aluminum sheet for the based on the dimension in Figure 2 below were cut-
body and mild steel for the coupler; High density dry off along the span of the blade, this is to reduce the
wood which forms the core of the blade is to be cut to weight of the blade. The wooden skeletal is to be
1.5 meter (blade span) and 0.26 meter (chord length) treated with wood insecticide and coated with wood
with a thickness of 0.05 meter. The wood is then to sealant to reduce moisture absorption.
Figure 2 The Blade’s Dimensions
The skeletal will be further allowed to dry bolted to a hub which is connected to an alternator
and thereafter it is to be covered with 0.75 via a gearbox with a spur gear ratio of 1:8. The whole
mmAluminium sheet, glue (Top-Bond Glue) will be unit will be bolted on a four meter steel tower at the
applied in-between the wooded skeletal and the study site (University of Maiduguri). The
Aluminium sheet to bond the two together. One inch performance of the blades will be observed, this
nails will be used to further secure the sheet on the includes their ability to extract the energy in the wind
wood. This will be done for each of the blade and and convert it to electric energy via the alternator.
they will be weight to insure they are of the same Parameters to be measured are wind speed, voltage
weight. Experimental trial of the constructed blade is generated and resistance developed to determine the
to be carried out to observe the performance of the power output of the turbine.
develop blade profile; the developed blades will be
V. RSULTS AND DISCUSSION
The blade design analysis gives the blade specification calculated are shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1. The Developed Blade Specifications as calculated.
S/No. PARAMETER SPECIFICATION
Chord Length (C) 0.26 m
1 Blade Span (L) 1.5 m
2 Rotor Diameter (D) 3m
3 Swept Area (A) 7.55 m2
4 Tip Speed Ratio (𝜆𝑟 ) 5
5 Angle of Attack (θ) 8o
6 Wind Relative Angle (𝜙) 48o
7 * Coefficient of Lift (CL) 1.007
8 Lift Force (FL) 19.97N
9 * Coefficient of Drag (CD) 0.0125
10 Drag Force (FD) 0.23N
11 Reynolds Number 3 x 106
12 Solidity Ratio (𝜍) 0.08
13 Power Coefficient (CP) 0.189
14 Turbine Theoretical Efficiency (𝜂) 32%
15 Ultimate Wind Speed (vulti.) 8.81m/s
16 Probability of Collapse (CProb.) 1.04
17 Shear Force (SF) 16.30N
18 Bending Moment (BM) at x=0.5m 21.43Nm2
19 Extractable Power from the Wind (P) 272.21 Watts
*Obtained from the Design Foil Workshop
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5.1 Experimentation with a ratio of 1:8 to determine the power generation
The designed blade is tested at the University of ability of the blade; the developed blade and its
Maiduguri campus in Maiduguri on a 4meter tower. assemblyon a 4 m tower are shown in Figure 3 and 4
The rotor is connected to an alternator via a gearbox respectively below.
Figure 3 The Developed Blade
Figure 4 The HAWT Blade on a 4 meter Tower at the site.
Air density for the experiment site is 1.225 kg/m3 recorded at 15minutes interval between 8am and 5pm
(NIMA, 2015). A cup anemometer by FLUKE each day. The direct current (DC) power output was
Corporation USA Model 373is used to measure the 𝑉2
then calculated using theformulaP= . The
wind speed, atmospheric temperature and a Multi- 𝑅
meter by FLUKE Corporation USA FLUKE Model measured power outputs with the corresponding wind
117 was used to measure the rectified voltage and speeds are shown in Table 2 and the curve in Figure 5
resistance. Parameters (Wind Speed, DC Voltage, below.
Resistance and Atmospheric Temperature) were
Table 2 Wind Speed and Power Output from the Experiments
Wind Relative Velocity (v) in Power Output put (P) in Watts [P=V2/R] from the Experimentation
m/s
1.2 2.17
1.3 2.77
1.4 3.43
1.7 5.32
1.8 7.41
2.0 10.32
2.3 13.72
2.5 19.22
2.7 25.27
3.0 34.32
3.1 38.42
3.3 45.77
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3.4 50.49
3.5 54.88
3.6 59.45
3.9 76.23
4.0 81.60
4.2 95.09
4.4 107.25
4.5 116.85
4.8 140.85
Figure 5 Experimental Wind Speed and Power Output Curve
From the experimentation result it was observed Therefore, any rotational forces such as
that the higher the wind speed the higher the power wake rotation, turbulence caused by drag or vortex
output will be, if the wind speed is 1.2m/s, power shedding (tip losses) will further reduce the
output will be 2.17W but as the wind speed increases maximum efficiency. Efficiency losses are generally
to 4.8m/s the power output will be 140.85W as reduced by:
shown in Table 3 above. From the theoretical design i. Avoiding low tip speed ratios which increase
the extractable power from the wind at a wind speed wake rotation
of 3.89 m/s is 272.21 W while at this wind speed
experimentally a power output of about 76.23 W was ii. Selecting aerofoils which have a high lift to drag
recorded (Table 2), it shows that the blade was able ratio
to extract 28% of the theoretical power. This is iii. Specialized tip geometries
because a physical limit exists to the quantity of
energy that can be extracted, which is independent of VI. CONCLUSION
design. The energy extraction is maintained in a flow The Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine blade profile
process through the reduction of kinetic energy and has been designed, developed and tested. Experiment
subsequent velocity of the wind. The magnitude of carried out on the developed blade shows that at 8o
energy harnessed is a function of the reduction in air angle of attack, air density of 1.225kg/m3and a
speed over the turbine. 100% extraction would imply relative wind speed of 4.8m/s(the maximum wind
zero final velocity and therefore zero flow. The zero speed recorded) the blade generates a power output
flow scenario cannot be achieved hence all the winds of 140.85 W. However the experiment was carried
kinetic energy may not be utilized. This principle is out for only ten hours of each day but if extended
widely accepted and indicates that wind turbine especially through the night higher wind speed could
efficiency cannot exceed 59.3% (Farooq and have been recorded which will reflect to higher
Harmain, 2013). This parameter is commonly known power output. Be that as it may the developed
as the power coefficient Cp, where max Cp= 0.593 HAWT blade profile has shown the ability to perform
referred to as the Betz limit. The Betz theory assumes and will really be a means of extracting and
constant linear velocity (Peter and Richard, 2012). generating energy from wind; a renewable, clean and
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locally available source of energy in Maiduguri and
environs.
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