Approaches in performance and structural analysis of wind turbines – A review. (October 2022) - Rajamohan, Sakthivel
Graphical abstract: Highlights: A comprehensive review on numerical approaches of wind turbine blade is done. The computational approach to blade analysis using CFD is reviewed. Various on-field wind turbine testing methodologies are discussed. The reliability of numerical and on-field studies is reviewed. Abstract: With the increased need for alternative energy sources, wind energy has become a hotly debated topic. Improving the performance of a wind turbine has been a significant focus of study, with several new technologies and designs developed. The aerodynamic performance and structural integrity of a wind turbine are the major variables that demonstrate the turbine's utility. The performance metrics, such as the Power Coefficient and Tip Speed Ratio, indicate the amount of mechanical power that the turbine can create. These parameters are amenable to numerical, computational, and practical estimation. The study presents numerical approaches for estimating the aforementioned parameters, such as the Blade Element Momentum Theory, Actuator Disc Approach, and Single-stream Tube Theory. Similarly, the fundamentals of computational fluid mechanics (CFD) have been covered under computational techniques. The turbine's structural integrity can be investigated using Finite Element Structural Analysis or a Fluid Structural Interaction Study. Wind tunnel testing and other practical approaches have also been considered. Each approach produces different findings, and the accuracy of the numerical and computational methods may be evaluated by comparing their output to the experimental output.