1.
An anemometer mounted at a height of 10m above a surface with crops, hedges, and shrubs
with friction coefficient of 0.2 shows a wind speed of 5m/s. Estimate the wind speed and the
specific power in the wind at a height of 50 m. Assume 15℃ and 1 atm of pressure.
Given data:
friction coefficient α = 0.2
From the 15◦C, 1-atm conditions, the air density is ρ = 1.225 kg/m 3
Reference height (Ho) = 10m
Height (H) = 50m
Wind speed at 10m height (Vo) = 5m/s.
Required to Calculate;
a) Wind speed at 50m height, (V);
b) Power at speed V, (P50)
Solution.
V H
=
V₀ H₀
.
50
V=5× = 6.9 𝑚/𝑠
10
From…
1
𝑃= 𝜌𝐴𝑉
2
Specific power will be;
1 1
𝑃 = 𝜌(𝑉) = × 1.225 × 6.9 = 201𝑊/𝑚
2 2
2. A wind turbine has a blade diameter of 65m, what is the theoretical maximum power output of
this turbine if the wind speed is 10m/s? (Take the density of air = 1.2kg/m 3)
Given that:
Diameter of the blade, D = 65m
Wind velocity, Va = 10m/s
Density of air = 1.2kg/m3
Required to find
the theoretical maximum output power
Solutiom
D 2
Area swept by the blade (A) 652 3318.3m 2
4 4
1
𝑃= 𝜌𝐴𝑉
2
1
𝑃= × 1.2 × 3318.3 × 10 = 2MW
2
Theoretical maximum power output = 2MW
3. Given the wind turbine with the Blade length of 52m, Wind speed of 12m/sec, Air density as
1.23 kg/m3 and wind turbine power Coefficient as 0.4. Estimate the
a) theoretical power of the specified wind turbine
b) theoretical maximum power of the specified wind turbine.
c) available/extractable power of the specified wind turbine
d) Repeat the above (c) calculation using different wind speeds and plot a graph of the
power produced at these different values. Explain what have you observed.
Given data;
Blade length (radius of wind turbine), r = 52m
Wind speed, Va = 12m/sec
Air density, ρ = 1.23 kg/m3
Power Coefficient, Cp = 0.4
Solution
𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟 = 𝜋 × 52 = 8494.867𝑚
a) Theoretical power;
1 1
𝑃 = 𝜌𝐴𝑉 =𝑃= × 1.23 × 8494.867 × 12 = 9.028MW
2 2
b) theoretical maximum power of the specified wind turbine;
1 1
𝑃 = 𝜌𝐴𝑉 𝐶 = × 1.23 × 8494.867 × 12 × 0.59 = 5.326MW
2 2
Note: According to German physicist Albert Betz, the theoretical maximum power efficiency of
any design of wind turbine is 0.59 and so, C pmax=0.59.
c) available/extractable power of the specified wind turbine
1 1
𝑃 = 𝜌𝐴𝑉 𝐶 = × 1.23 × 8494.867 × 12 × 0.4 = 3.611MW
2 2
4. For a wind turbine with rotor diameter 43 meters (a typical size for a 600 kW turbine),
(a) calculate the volume and mass of a 1-meter-thick parcel of air passing through the plane
of the turbine blades
(b) Assume there is a wind blowing with a constant velocity of air to be 10m/s through the
blades of the turbine described in (a) above. What is the wind power density? Assume a
value for the air density of 1.225 kg/m3.
GIVEN
Rotor diameter, D = 43m
Rated Power of the turbine, 600kW
the air density, 𝜌 = 1.225 kg/m3
velocity of wind, Va = 10m/s
Length of the parcel of air, L =1m
Required to Calculate;
a) i. volume of air passing through the plane of the turbine blades
ii. mass of air passing through the plane of the turbine blades
b) Value of wind power density
Solution;
a) The volume and mass of air passing through the plane of the turbine blades
i. The Volume, V is given by;
𝐷 43
𝑉 =𝐴×𝐿 =𝜋 ×𝐿 = 𝜋× × 1 = 1452.2𝑚
4 4
Where A is cross-sectional or swept area of the blade.
ii. And its mass equals the volume of air times air density:
𝑚 = 𝜌 × 𝑉 = 1.225 × 14552.2 = 1779Kg
b) Value of wind power density, WPD
𝑃 1 1
𝑊𝑃𝐷 = = 𝜌𝑉 = × 1.225 × 10 = 612.5W/m
𝐴 2 2
5. A smaller wind turbine which produces about 50kW has a blade rotor radius of 7m. (14 m
diameter). Calculate WPD for this wind turbine, assuming the same conditions as given in
question 4.
Solution
Ans.: Easy! Remember that WPD is independent of turbine type or size, and only depends on
wind speed and density. Hence, the WPD is still 613 watts/m 2, the same as calculated in
question 4.