MIME 3450-004C

Lab 4
Wind Energy
Lab Date: 10/23/15
Lab Time: 11:10 AM

Group Members:

Mohammad Saab
Rebecca Soisson
Keith Wasserman

Data

The data collected from the experiment in the wind tunnel can be see in the tables below. In the
lab the wind speed, angle, and power were collected for each pitch angle.
Diameter: 0.3429 m
Air Temperature: 20.8 ℃

Table 1:

Pitch 1
Wind Speed (m/s) Wind Angle (deg) Average Power (W)
2.45 0 0.00
4.61 0 0.03
6.80 0 0.13
9.09 0 0.49
11.20 0 0.79
11.19 15.81 0.71
11.22 31.80 0.50

Table 2:

Pitch 2
Wind Speed (m/s) Wind Angle (deg) Average Power (W)
2.52 0 0.001
4.43 0 0.015
6.79 0 0.060
9.09 0 0.153
11.20 0 0.259
11.23 15.98 0.227
11.17 31.92 0.139

Requirement 1

Calculated Power Coefficient:

The 𝐶𝑝 values were calculated with the following equation that can be found in the lab handout.
An example is also included below, but this was done for both pitch angles and all their data.
 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑒𝑑
𝐶𝑝 =
𝜋𝐷2
(0.5)(𝜌)( 4 )(𝑉 3 )

0.03𝑊
0.006 =
𝑘𝑔 𝜋0.3429𝑚2
(0.5)(1.205 3 )( )(4.61𝑚/𝑠 3 )
𝑚 4
Table 3:

Pitch 1
Wind Speed (m/s) Wind Angle (deg) Average Power (W) Cp
2.45 0 0.00 0.000
4.61 0 0.03 0.006
6.80 0 0.13 0.007
9.09 0 0.49 0.012
11.20 0 0.79 0.010
11.19 15.81 0.71 0.009
11.22 31.80 0.50 0.006

Table 4:

Pitch 2
Wind Speed (m/s) Wind Angle (deg) Average Power (W) Cp
2.52 0 0.001 0.001
4.43 0 0.015 0.003
6.79 0 0.060 0.003
9.09 0 0.153 0.004
11.20 0 0.259 0.003
11.23 15.98 0.227 0.003
11.17 31.92 0.139 0.002

Requirement 2

Power Produced vs. Wind Speed:

Figure 1:
As seen in the above power vs wind speed plot, power generation increased as wind speed
increased. For pitch 1, larger power generation was seen as wind speed increased, this was
especially apparent at wind speeds above 8 m/s.

Requirement 3

CP vs Wind Speed Zero Flow Angle:

Figure 2:
For pitch 2 the power coefficient remained relatively constant throughout the wind speed range.
The power coefficient for pitch 1 however generally increased with wind speed and started to
decrease in the higher wind speeds ranging from approximately 9 m/s - 11 m/s. This plot is
similar to the plot of power vs. wind speed in the sense of pitch 1 trends to continually grow
higher compared to pitch 2. So, pitch 1 appears to create more power and has a better
coefficient of performance.

Requirement 4

CP vs Wind Angle for 25 mph Wind Speed

Figure 3:
As seen in the above figure, the power coefficient slightly decreased as wind angle increased
for pitch 1 and pitch 2.

Requirement 5

Pitch angle and wind angle both play a role in the minimum operating speed. The effect of pitch
is easily seen in figure 1( power vs wind speed). Pitch 1 generally created more power for a
given wind speed meaning that it would have a lower operating speed than a turbine with pitch
2. Lower wind angles however had a higher coefficient of power regardless of the pitch as seen
in figure 3 (Cp vs wind angle).

Reference

Class Lecture Notes: “Lab #4: Wind Energy”

https://blackboard.utdl.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-4391450-dt-content-rid-
15054643_1/courses/MIME3450001201540/MIME3450_Lab4_WindTurbine.pdf