Plasma actuation effect on a MW class wind turbine

Abstract

The first trial test for applying plasma actuation technology on a 1.75 MW field rotor was carried out. Specially developed plasma electrodes of 8 m in length were installed on the surface of the leading edge of each blade. An increase in turbine rotational speed has been identified for the plasma-on cases compared with the plasma-off cases for the same wind speed. Also, histogram of inlet wind speed showed a trend that inlet wind speed was shifted to higher speed region for the plasma-on case compared with the plasma-off case. The mechanism of plasma actuation on this behaviour was examined in qualitatively using CFD analysis of model turbine. Consequently, an averaged power increase of 4.9 % was achieved in the test period. Possibility of increase in wind turbine power even in a commercial scale large turbine has been proved by leading-edge flow separation control using the plasma actuation technology.