Advances in horizontal axis wind turbine blade designs: Introduction of slots and tubercle

Abstract

Despite being harvested thousands of years ago, wind energy was neglected during the industrial revolution because of the strong dependence on fossil fuels. However, after the alarming decrease in the fossil fuels reserves, many have drawn their attentions back to a renewable energy technology, especially the wind energy. This paper presents some of the new designs that are being tested, including slotted blades and tubercles design models. The experimental results are used to validate the numerical studies that are being conducted parallel to the experiments for better understanding and more detailed results. The new slotted blade design produced more power compared to the straight blade for lower wind speeds, while the tubercle blades showed better power performance in severe wind conditions and a more steady behavior under unsteady and higher wind velocities.