Influence of Pitch, Twist, and Taper on a Blade's Performance Loss Due to Roughness

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

    Abstract

    The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of blade geometric parameters such as pitch, twist, and taper on a blade's sensitivity to leading edge roughness. The approach began with an evaluation of available test data of performance degradation due to roughness effects for several rotors. In addition to airfoil geometry, this evaluation suggested that a rotor's sensitivity toroughness was also influenced by the blade geometric parameters. Parametric studies were conducted using the PROP computer code with wind-tunnel airfoil characteristics for smooth and rough surface conditions to quantify the performance loss due to roughness for tapered and twisted blades relative to a constant-chord, non-twisted blade at several blade pitch angles. The results indicate that aconstant-chord, non-twisted blade pitched toward stall will have the greatest losses due to roughness. The use of twist, taper and positive blade pitch angles all help reduce the angle-of-attack distribution along the blade for a given wind speed and the associated performance degradation due to roughness.
    Original languageAmerican English
    Pages547-555
    Number of pages9
    StatePublished - 1996
    EventWindpower 1996: American Wind Energy Association Conference - Denver, Colorado
    Duration: 23 Jun 199627 Jun 1996

    Conference

    ConferenceWindpower 1996: American Wind Energy Association Conference
    CityDenver, Colorado
    Period23/06/9627/06/96

    NREL Publication Number

    • NREL/CP-22286

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