Cairo University - Faculty of Engineering MEPN 430 – Wind Energy Systems Design

Mechanical Design Engineering Program Spring 2022

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Sheet #1 – Wind Characteristics and Resources

1. Based on average speed data only, estimate the annual energy production from a horizontal axis
wind turbine with a 12 m diameter operating in a wind regime with an average wind speed of 8 m/s.
Assume that the wind turbine is operating under standard atmospheric conditions (ρ = 1.225 kg/m 3).
Assume a turbine efficiency of 0.4.

2. A 40 m diameter, three bladed wind turbine produces 700 kW at a wind speed (hub height) of 14
m/s. The air density is 1.225 kg/m3. Find:
a) The rotational speed (rpm) of the rotor at a tip-speed ratio of 5.0.
b) What is the tip-speed (m/s)?
c) If the generator turns at 1800 rpm, what gear ratio is needed to match the rotor speed to the
generator speed.
d) What is the efficiency of the wind turbine system (including blades, transmission, shafts, and
generator) under these conditions?

3. a) Determine the wind speed at a height of 40 m over surface terrain with a few trees, if the wind
speed at a height of 10 m is known to be 5 m/s. For your estimate use two different wind speed
estimation methods.
3. b) Using the same methods as part a), determine the wind speed at 40 m if the trees were all
removed from the terrain.
4. A 30 m diameter wind turbine is placed on a 50 m tower in terrain with a power law coefficient (α)
of 0.2. Find the ratio of available power in the wind at the highest point the rotor reaches to its lowest
point.
5. Find the size of a wind turbine rotor (diameter in m) that will generate 100 kW of electrical power in
a steady wind (hub height) of 7.5 m/s. Assume that the air density is ρ = 1.225 kg/m 3, Cp = 16/27 and
η = 1.
6. From an analysis of wind speed data (hourly interval average, taken over a one year period), the
Weibull parameters are determined to be c = 6 m/s and k = 1.8.
a) What is the average velocity at this site?
b) Estimate the number of hours per year that the wind speed will be between 6.5 and 7.5 m/s during
the year.
c) Estimate the number of hours per year that the wind speed is above 16 m/s.
7. Analysis of time series data for a given site has yielded an average velocity of 6 m/s. It is
determined that a Rayleigh wind speed distribution gives a good fit to the wind data.
a) Based on a Rayleigh wind speed distribution, estimate the number of hours that the wind speed
will be between 9.5 and 10.5 m/s during the year.
b) Using a Rayleigh wind speed distribution, estimate the number of hours per year that the wind
speed is equal to or above 16 m/s.
8. Estimate the annual production of a 12 m diameter horizontal axis wind turbine operating at
standard atmospheric conditions (ρ = 1.225 kg/m 3) in a 8 m/s average wind speed regime. You are to
assume that the site wind speed probability density is given by the Rayleigh density distribution.

9. A wind turbine with a rotor diameter of 55 m is rated at 1 MW at a hub height wind speed of 14 m/s.
It has a cut-in speed of 4 m/s and a cut-out speed of 25 m/s. Assume that this machine is located at a
site where the mean wind speed is 10 m/s and that a Rayleigh wind speed distribution can be used.
Calculate the following:

a) The number of hours per year that the wind is below the cut-in speed.

b) The number of hours per year that the machine will be shut down due to wind speeds above the
cut-out velocity.

c) The energy production (kWh/year) when the wind turbine is running at rated power.

10. Based on the spreadsheet (MtTomData.xls) which contains one month of data (mph) from
Holoyke, MA, determine:

a) The average wind speed for the month

b) The standard deviation

c) A histogram of the velocity data (via the method of bins–suggested bin width of 2 mph)

d) From the histogram data develop a velocity–duration curve

e) From above develop a power–duration curve for a given 25 kW Turbine at the Holyoke site.

For the wind turbine, assume:

P = 0 kW 0 <U ≤ 6 (mph)

P = U3/625 kW 6 <U ≤ 25 (mph)

P = 25 kW 25 <U ≤ 50 (mph)

P = 0 kW 50 <U (mph)

f) From the power duration curve, determine the energy that would be produced during this month in
kWh.