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Tutorial 4

The document provides a tutorial on wind energy, including calculations for power generated by wind turbines based on various parameters such as blade length, wind speed, and air density. It discusses the power coefficient and force per unit area acting on turbines, as well as operational considerations regarding turbine speed. Additionally, it explores the power extraction from wind farms and the relationship between wind speed and height, emphasizing the implications of turbine design at greater heights.

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SMANGALISO MAGAGULA
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3 views2 pages

Tutorial 4

The document provides a tutorial on wind energy, including calculations for power generated by wind turbines based on various parameters such as blade length, wind speed, and air density. It discusses the power coefficient and force per unit area acting on turbines, as well as operational considerations regarding turbine speed. Additionally, it explores the power extraction from wind farms and the relationship between wind speed and height, emphasizing the implications of turbine design at greater heights.

Uploaded by

SMANGALISO MAGAGULA
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Tutorials 4: Wind Energy

1. Each blade of a wind turbine has a length of 35 m. If the wind speed is 15 m/s and
the density of the air is 1.1 kg/m3 , calculate the power generated by the turbine if it
achieves 75% of the Betz criterion. What power would be generated if: (i) the density
of the air is 20% higher; (ii) the blades were 20% longer; and (iii) the wind speed is 20%
higher?

2. The power coefcient CP is given by CP = 4a (1 − a )2 . Show that the maximum


value of CP is 0.59 when a = 1/ 3.

3. Show that the force per unit area F actng on a turbine is given by F =0.5ρµ 02[4a(1 −
a )], where the symbols have their usual meanings. At what value of a is F a maximum?
Calculate the maximum value of F for an incident wind speed of 20 m/s. In this case,
what is the value of the fnal wind speed uf ? Compare the maximum value of F with the
value of F when a = 1/3. Take the density of air to be 1.2 kg/m 3

4. (a) A wind turbine is maintained at a tp-speed rato of 6 for all wind speeds. At what
wind speed would the blade tp speed be equal to the speed of sound? (b) An ofshore
wind turbine has a rotor diameter of 100 m. At what frequency (Hz) of the rotor would
the tp speed be equal to the speed of sound? Why should operaton at a tp speed
exceeding the speed of sound be prevented?

5. (a) Assuming that the turbines in a wind farm need to be fve rotor diameters apart,
calculate the power that can be extracted from the wind per square metre of the wind
farm at a wind speed of 8 m/s. Assume that the turbines achieve 80% of the Betz
criterion and that the density of air is 1.2 kg/m3 . (b) Using your estmate from part (a),
estmate the total area of a wind farm that would generate the same power as a typical
nuclear power staton.

6. The power P in an unobstructed column of air of area A traveling with wind speed u
is given by P = 0.5ρAu3 . An approximate expression that is ofen used to determine
wind speed uz at height z is uz = us (z/h0 )0.14 m/ s, where us is the speed at z = 10 m
and h0 = 10 m. Make a plot of wind power per unit area (Pz /A ) in units of (Ps/A )
against height z over the range of z from 10 to 250 m, where P s is the wind power at z
= 10 m. Comment on the use of turbines with small rotor diameters, say 5 m, above
100 m.

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