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Aerodynamic analysis of wind turbine blades: A numerical study

Year 2025, Volume: 13 Issue: 2, 641 - 652, 30.06.2025
https://doi.org/10.29109/gujsc.1672741

Abstract

In this study, the aerodynamic performance of different wind turbine blades including FX 63-137, NACA 6415, NACA 63-415 has been investigated. XFLR5 has been employed to analyze the wind turbine blade at Reynolds numbers ranging from 1.5x105 to 1x106 and low angles of attack (00≤α≤200). The lift (CL), drag(CD), and pitch moment (CM) coefficients, and lift/drag coefficient ratio (CL/CD) of the wind turbine blades have been evaluated. Numerical lift coefficients obtained using XFLR5 and lift coefficients from the literature have beeen compared and it has been found that they have been compatible with each other. According to numerical analyzes, the highest lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient ratio, as called aerodynamic efficiency, was obtained as 109.14 with FX63-137 blade at Re number of 1x106, the lowest lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient ratio was obtained as 2.63 with NACA 63-415 blade. Also, the maximum lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient ratio with the NACA 63-415 blade profile was 104.28, while that for the NACA6415 blade profile was 102.11 at Re number of 1x106. The analysis results show that lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient increases with the increase in the angle of attack up to the stall angle, and then begins to decrease in all studied blades.

References

  • [1] Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Info bank, (https://enerji.gov.tr/infobank-energy-electricity), (Access: 05/05/2025).
  • [2] International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook, 2004.
  • [3] Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Turkiye National Energy Plan, 2022.
  • [4] A.H. Rahman, M.S. Majid, A.R. Jordehi, C.K. Ganc, M.Y. Hassan, S.O. Fadhl, Operation and control strategies of integrated distributed energy resources: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 51 (2015) 1412-1420.
  • [5] K.M. Güleren, S. Demir, Performance analysis of different airfoils at low angles of attack for wind turbines. Journal of Thermal Science and Technology, 31:2 (2011) 51-59.
  • [6] S. Evran, S.Z. Yıldır, Numerical and statistical aerodynamics performance analysis of NACA0009 and NACA4415 airfoils. Journal of Polytechnic, 27:3 (2024) 849-856.
  • [7] H. İnan, M. Kaplan, Numerical analysis of the aerodynamic performance of the NACA 63-415 airfoil with modified sub-surface. European Journal of Science and Technology, 34 (2022) 121-125.
  • [8] A.G. Akın, H.E. Tanürün, A. Acır, Numerical investigation of rib structure effects on performance of wind turbines. Journal of Polytechnic, 24:3 (2021) 1219-1226.
  • [9] H, Düz, S. Yıldız, Numerical performance analyses of different airfoils for use in wind turbines, International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 7:2 (2018) 151-157.
  • [10] İ.H. Güzelbey, Y. Eraslan, M.H. Doğru, Numerical investigation of different airfoils at low reynolds number in terms of aerodynamic performance of sailplanes by using XFLR5. The Black Sea Journal of Sciences, 8:1 (2018) 47-65.
  • [11] A. Deperrois, XFLR5 Software, Open-source airfoil and wing analysis tool, 2023.
  • [12] M. Drela, XFOIL – an analysis and design system for low Reynolds number airfoils, in: T.J. Mueller (Ed.), Low Reynolds Number Aerodynamics, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1989.
  • [13] S.S. Yıldız, Preparation of wind speed maps of Balıkesir province and examination in terms of wind energy potential. Geomatics Journal, 6:3 (2021) 198-206.
  • [14] D. Marten, J. Wendler, Qblade guidelines, Technical University of (TU Berlin), Berlin, Germany, (2013).
  • [15] Z. Lei, G. Zha, Numerical simulation of discrete co-flow jets NACA-6415 airfoil in varied flow conditions. AIAA SciTech Forum, National Harbor, 2023.
  • [16] H. Düz, Numerical testing of the airfoil profiles for the wind turbines. Journal of Engineering and Science, 4:2 (2016) 41-51.
  • [17] H.Y. Xu, C.L. Qiao, Z.Y. Ye, Dynamic stall control on the wind turbine airfoil via a co-flow jet. Energies,9 (2016) 1-25.
  • [18] İ. Şahin, A. Acır, Numerical and experimental investigations of lift and drag performances of NACA 0015 wind turbine airfoil. International Journal of Materials, Mechanics and Manufacturing, 3(1) (2015) 22-25.
  • [19] M.S. Selig, B.D. Granahan, Wind tunnel aerodynamic tests of six airfoils for use on small wind turbines. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Period of Performance, Tehnical Report, 2002.
  • [20] M. Alaskari, O. Abdullah, M.H. Majeed, Analysis of wind turbine using QBlade software. In IOP Conference series: Materials Science and Engineering, 518 (2018) .
  • [21] E. Koç, O, Günel, T. Yavuz, Mini-scaled horizontal axis wind turbine analysis by Qblade and Cfd. International Journal of Energy Applications and Technologies, 3:2 (2016) 87-92.
  • [22] V. Parezanovic, B. Rasuo, M. Adzic, Design of Airfoils for Wind Turbine Blades, The French-Serbian European Summer University: Renewable Energy Sources and Environment- Multidisciplinary Aspect, 17-24 October 2006,

Aerodynamic analysis of wind turbine blades: A numerical study

Year 2025, Volume: 13 Issue: 2, 641 - 652, 30.06.2025
https://doi.org/10.29109/gujsc.1672741

Abstract

In this study, the aerodynamic performance of different wind turbine blades including FX 63-137, NACA 6415, NACA 63-415 has been investigated. XFLR5 has been employed to analyze the wind turbine blade at Reynolds numbers ranging from 1.5x105 to 1x106 and low angles of attack (00≤α≤200). The lift (CL), drag(CD), and pitch moment (CM) coefficients, and lift/drag coefficient ratio (CL/CD) of the wind turbine blades have been evaluated. Numerical lift coefficients obtained using XFLR5 and lift coefficients from the literature have beeen compared and it has been found that they have been compatible with each other. According to numerical analyzes, the highest lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient ratio, as called aerodynamic efficiency, was obtained as 109.14 with FX63-137 blade at Re number of 1x106, the lowest lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient ratio was obtained as 2.63 with NACA 63-415 blade. Also, the maximum lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient ratio with the NACA 63-415 blade profile was 104.28, while that for the NACA6415 blade profile was 102.11 at Re number of 1x106. The analysis results show that lift coefficient-to-drag coefficient increases with the increase in the angle of attack up to the stall angle, and then begins to decrease in all studied blades.

References

  • [1] Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Info bank, (https://enerji.gov.tr/infobank-energy-electricity), (Access: 05/05/2025).
  • [2] International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook, 2004.
  • [3] Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Turkiye National Energy Plan, 2022.
  • [4] A.H. Rahman, M.S. Majid, A.R. Jordehi, C.K. Ganc, M.Y. Hassan, S.O. Fadhl, Operation and control strategies of integrated distributed energy resources: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 51 (2015) 1412-1420.
  • [5] K.M. Güleren, S. Demir, Performance analysis of different airfoils at low angles of attack for wind turbines. Journal of Thermal Science and Technology, 31:2 (2011) 51-59.
  • [6] S. Evran, S.Z. Yıldır, Numerical and statistical aerodynamics performance analysis of NACA0009 and NACA4415 airfoils. Journal of Polytechnic, 27:3 (2024) 849-856.
  • [7] H. İnan, M. Kaplan, Numerical analysis of the aerodynamic performance of the NACA 63-415 airfoil with modified sub-surface. European Journal of Science and Technology, 34 (2022) 121-125.
  • [8] A.G. Akın, H.E. Tanürün, A. Acır, Numerical investigation of rib structure effects on performance of wind turbines. Journal of Polytechnic, 24:3 (2021) 1219-1226.
  • [9] H, Düz, S. Yıldız, Numerical performance analyses of different airfoils for use in wind turbines, International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 7:2 (2018) 151-157.
  • [10] İ.H. Güzelbey, Y. Eraslan, M.H. Doğru, Numerical investigation of different airfoils at low reynolds number in terms of aerodynamic performance of sailplanes by using XFLR5. The Black Sea Journal of Sciences, 8:1 (2018) 47-65.
  • [11] A. Deperrois, XFLR5 Software, Open-source airfoil and wing analysis tool, 2023.
  • [12] M. Drela, XFOIL – an analysis and design system for low Reynolds number airfoils, in: T.J. Mueller (Ed.), Low Reynolds Number Aerodynamics, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1989.
  • [13] S.S. Yıldız, Preparation of wind speed maps of Balıkesir province and examination in terms of wind energy potential. Geomatics Journal, 6:3 (2021) 198-206.
  • [14] D. Marten, J. Wendler, Qblade guidelines, Technical University of (TU Berlin), Berlin, Germany, (2013).
  • [15] Z. Lei, G. Zha, Numerical simulation of discrete co-flow jets NACA-6415 airfoil in varied flow conditions. AIAA SciTech Forum, National Harbor, 2023.
  • [16] H. Düz, Numerical testing of the airfoil profiles for the wind turbines. Journal of Engineering and Science, 4:2 (2016) 41-51.
  • [17] H.Y. Xu, C.L. Qiao, Z.Y. Ye, Dynamic stall control on the wind turbine airfoil via a co-flow jet. Energies,9 (2016) 1-25.
  • [18] İ. Şahin, A. Acır, Numerical and experimental investigations of lift and drag performances of NACA 0015 wind turbine airfoil. International Journal of Materials, Mechanics and Manufacturing, 3(1) (2015) 22-25.
  • [19] M.S. Selig, B.D. Granahan, Wind tunnel aerodynamic tests of six airfoils for use on small wind turbines. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Period of Performance, Tehnical Report, 2002.
  • [20] M. Alaskari, O. Abdullah, M.H. Majeed, Analysis of wind turbine using QBlade software. In IOP Conference series: Materials Science and Engineering, 518 (2018) .
  • [21] E. Koç, O, Günel, T. Yavuz, Mini-scaled horizontal axis wind turbine analysis by Qblade and Cfd. International Journal of Energy Applications and Technologies, 3:2 (2016) 87-92.
  • [22] V. Parezanovic, B. Rasuo, M. Adzic, Design of Airfoils for Wind Turbine Blades, The French-Serbian European Summer University: Renewable Energy Sources and Environment- Multidisciplinary Aspect, 17-24 October 2006,
There are 22 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Wind Energy Systems
Journal Section Tasarım ve Teknoloji
Authors

İlker Yılmaz 0000-0001-7956-7752

Ayşegül Avci This is me 0009-0002-6519-3715

Ekin Aköz Arslankaya This is me 0009-0007-2326-5289

Early Pub Date June 26, 2025
Publication Date June 30, 2025
Submission Date April 10, 2025
Acceptance Date May 13, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 13 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Yılmaz, İ., Avci, A., & Aköz Arslankaya, E. (2025). Aerodynamic analysis of wind turbine blades: A numerical study. Gazi Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi Part C: Tasarım Ve Teknoloji, 13(2), 641-652. https://doi.org/10.29109/gujsc.1672741

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