Wind Turbine Optimization by Blade Element Momentum Method and Particle Swarm Optimization Technique

The aerodynamic efficiency of wind turbines is greatly influenced by the shape of their airfoils. In this study, four airfoils were optimized to enhance the performance of a small horizontal axis wind turbine. The optimization process involved adjusting the thickness and camber of the airfoils using the blade element momentum method and particle swarm optimization technique. The goal was to find the most aerodynamically efficient airfoil based on the thickness‐to‐camber ratio. The optimized airfoils were compared to select the best one for a three‐blade, 6‐m diameter turbine configuration. The results showed that the optimized microturbine achieved better efficiency than the baseline turbines and those optimized by other researchers. Notably, the study also rigorously validated the blade element momentum–particle swarm optimization methodology through experimental methods, providing robust support for our findings.