Wind turbines: Basic concepts, plusses

and minuses (Part 1/4)

Ene-47.5140 Wind Energy

Ville Lehtomäki, VTT Wind Power

21.9.2015 2

Schedule for today

 Wind turbines: Basic concepts, plusses and minuses (Part 1/4)

 Wind turbine layout (Part 2/4)

 Wind turbine operating principle and aerodynamics (Part 3/4)

 Wind turbine aerodynamics, continued (Part 4/4)

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Content (Part 1/4)

 Different wind turbine concepts and history

 Concept division into categories:
 HAWT vs VAWT
 Lift vs Drag
 Power
 Different concepts: ± and performance
 How much electricity out of wind turbines?
 Summary

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Different wind turbine concepts – history

h=96m
h=20-30m
w=64m
D=25-30m
P=3.8MW
P=10-30kW
at max
at max

Panemone Windmill Savonius Darrieus

Modern
Wind turbine

Windmill Windmill Giromill

1000 B.C.-
1300-1875 1875-1970 1970-2010
1300 A.D.

http://www.telosnet.com/wind/early.html

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Concept division
-HAWT vs VAWT-
Wind turbine
concepts

Horizontal axis Vertical axis

(HAWT) (VAWT)

Upwind rotor Downwind rotor Savonius Darrieus Giromill

(2-) or 3 blades

Fast,
multiple blades

Slow,
grinding wheat
• Variations
• Combinations

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Concept division
-Lift vs Drag-
Lift >> Drag

Pressure decreases

Pressure
Similar as ->
U  ,  increases

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Concept division
-Lift vs Drag-
Lift Drag

www.eagle.fi

www.winwind.fi

www.quietrevolution.co.uk www.helixwind.com

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Concept division
-Power-
Multi MW-100kW 100kW-10kW 10kW-1kW Below 1kW

 Only HAWT  Primarily 3-bladed  VAWTs available  Many different

HAWTs concepts
because COE
not always driver

www.quietrevolution.co.uk
h=5m/6kW

TALON
D=11m/30kW

www.eagle.fi www.windside.com
D=4.4m/2kW h=1m/30W
www.arigreenenergy.com
www.hummerwind.com D=1.4m/450W
www.helixwind.com
D=8m/10kW
h=6m/4.5kW

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The most successful wind turbine concept

-3-bladed HAWT-
 Or so called Danish model
 The most important criteria: produced amout of energy (production)
vs. lifetime costs of which the most important are manufacturing,
assembly and maintenance costs (CoE = Cost of Electricity)

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Danish model

hub

Rated power: 200 kW - 6.0 MW

Tower height: 30-160 m
Rotor D: 25-160 m
Full-load-hours: typically 2200-3000
h, even > 4000 h

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Danish model
-Features-
 Main shaft is horizontal and is situated in the nacelle at hub height
 Rotor in front of the nacelle ”looking to the wind” (upwind)
 Different technical solutions:
 Stall- or pitch controlled
 Gearbox + generator
 No gearbox + Direct Drive (DD) permanent magnet gen.
 Hybridi (gearbox + DD)
 Synchronous or asynchronous (induction) generator
 Power electronics (e.g. full power convertert)

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HAWT vs VAWT
-Plusses and minuses-

HAWT VAWT
+ Better efficiency + Wind direction not an issue
+ Is suitable for many different (no yaw-mechanism)
power classes + Major components situated
near ground level

- Tower carries the heavy - Rotor too close to ground ->

nacelle and rotor Lower winds
- Noise - Inefficient
- Large main bearing loads +
replacing them requires
dismantling entire turbine
- Kick-start might be needed

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Efficiency (Cp)
Tip speed ratio
R

U 1 
  Rotor angular velocity  
s
R  Rotor diameter m
m
U   Wind speed  
s
Local speed ratio
r
r 
U
r  dis tan ce from rotor cm m
Drag Lift

 Pure drag power plants always TSR≤1

Source: Eric Hau, Wind turbines Fundamentals Technologies Application, Economics

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Power curve
 Power curve presents the
amount of electric power as a
function of wind speed

 Power production starts at 3-4 1800

Bonus 1 MW (Active Stall + 2x generaattori)
1600
m/s and reaches rated power 1400
DeWind 1 MW (Variable speed + pitch)
Führländer 1 MW (Stall)
Power [kW]

≈10-12 m/s.
NEG-Micon 1 MW (Stall 1000/250 kW)
1200 Tuulessa oleva teho D54m

1
1000
P Av 3
800 2
 Power does not exceed rated at 600
400
high winds!
200
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
 Aerodynamic power control Wind speed [m/s]

maintains rated power at high

winds

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Power coefficient (Cp)

1
0.9 Bonus 1 MW (Active Stall + 2x generaattori)
DeWind 1 MW (Variable speed + pitch)
0.8
Führländer 1 MW (Stall)
0.7 NEG-Micon 1 MW (Stall 1000/250 kW)
Power coefficient Cp

0.6
P
0.5
CP 
0.4 1
0.3 U 3 Ad
0.2 2
0.1
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Wind speed [m/s]

 Power coefficient reflects the wind turbines

aerodynamic efficiency

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Different concepts for different purposes

 Cost of electricity (CoE) most important but not the only factor
 Other concept selection criteria:
 Visual impacts
 Does it please the eye?
 Landscape/flickering annoyance?
 Noise
 Noise level (dB)?
 Noise color/frequency?
 Servicability
 Need of cranes/ other large maintenance equipment?
 Reliability and special circuimstances
 What is the technical availability(%)?
 Low winds or high turbulence?
Different concepts needed in low power classes!
 Sail boats, remote sensors...

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CoE: Wind vs others

 Wind CoE lower than Fossile fuel average, nuclear*, biomass

& solar (CSP, PV)!!! Source: http://costing.irena.org/media/5898/simplified-oecd-and-nonoecd-lcoe.jpg
http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/electricity_generation.cfm*
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-geothermal-power-compete-with-coal-on-price/*

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How much different wind turbines produce?

 Electricity/Power production [kWh] = Power [kW] x time [h]

 Major key factor: production per rotor swept area (kWh/m2)

 New and large commercial turbines in Finland produce 800-1000

kWh/m2 with high towers (> 80 m) and close to optimum
aerodynamic power production at windy sites

 Commercial small, fast rotating turbines with lower towers (≈ 10 m)

produce less than half (<500 kWh/m2) in the same location

 Small, fast rotating turbines produce even less inland

 Small VAWTs produce even less, in low wind sites < 100 kWh/m2

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Wind atlas of Finland & current projects

 Production map represents a WWD-3

3MW turbine power production in
Finland at 100 m hub height
 Small turbine inland ≈ 100W/m2 =
876 kWh/a, only 20-30% of map
production

www.tuuliatlas.fi
http://www.tuulivoimayhdistys.fi/en/

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Summary

 HAWT + lift = Danish model, the winner of the battle between different
wind turbine concepts by production capasity (kW manufactured) and
power-size ratio (turbine max kW) because
 CoE by far the lowest compared to other concepts
 Largest production per swept area (kWh/m2)
 Best power efficiency (Cp)
 Other concepts are ok if CoE and efficiency are NOT the main criteria
 Turbine geographical location and hub height are VERY important
factors in power production figures
 Even the best turbine will NOT produce enough at a poor site!

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VTT luo teknologiasta

liiketoimintaa
http://www.vtt.fi/research/technology/wind_power.jsp?lang=en

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