Abstract

The objective: The objective of this experiment was to determine the optimal design of a horizontal axis wind turbine.

Methods/Materials

SFive model wind turbines with identical rotor, yaw and windswept area, but different pitch and number of blades were constructed. Three turbines have 4 blades with varied pitch. After determining the optimal pitch from these three turbines, two new turbines with 2-blade and 3-blade configurations with the same pitch were built. The electricity generated by the turbines at three different wind speeds was measured.

Results

The wind turbine with a 3-blade configuration at 30° pitch provided the most efficient design for a wind turbine.

Conclusions/Discussion

The conclusion from this experiment is that the pitch and the number of blades are important factors in the optimal design of a horizontal-axis wind turbine at various wind speeds.

Project Done By Rohun K. Atluri

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