Blade Element Theory for Wind Turbines

Abstract

The equations derived in Chap. 2 for the actuator disk representing the turbine rotor are rewritten in annular streamtube form and balanced against the forces acting on the blade elements that intersect those streamtubes. An iterative Matlab program to solve the equations is described and listed along with a program to determine the chord, and twist along the blades, and a prototype one to determine the lift and drag coefficients of the aerofoil section comprising the blades. © Springer-Verlag London Limited 2011.