INVESTIGATING THE SCALING EFFECTS ON BLADE STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WIND TURBINE USING CFD SIMULATION

Abstract

Wind turbines are used in a variety of applications with different performance requirements. Investigating the influence of scaling on wind turbine characteristics can pave the way to utilize the experience gained from a smaller turbine for a larger one. In this paper, the effects of wind turbine size on structural characteristics of a rotor blade are examined using CFD simulation. A GE’s 1.5 MW wind turbine was then chosen as a large turbine and a scaled down model of its rotor was simulated numerically. The results of the simulation were introduced to Similarity Theory relations in order to predict the structural characteristics of the 1.5 MW wind turbine. The 1.5 MW turbine was also simulated and the results of the simulation were compared to predictions of Similarity Theory. It was observed that the results of the simulation completely follow the values predicted by Similarity Theory. Both Similarity Theory predictions and simulation results demonstrated that the moment and mass increases with the cube of change in rotor diameter whereas the force reaction and equivalent stress grow with the square of change in diameter.