Design of HAWT Rotor for Non‐Uniform Inflow Conditions: A Theoretical and Experimental Approach for Shear Flow

ABSTRACT This paper aims to provide a robust design approach for HAWTs operating in shear flow. This study fills a critical research gap by integrating BEM and vortex theories for blade design in non‐homogeneous inflow conditions. In a modern society, the use of different types of energy is a prerequisite for most human activities. Wind energy, as a renewable energy source, is the fastest‐growing source of energy generation through wind turbines. Such a wind energy conversion system is both economical and environmentally friendly. This requires an understanding of the wind conditions at the site under study. The power of a wind turbine depends on several parameters, including the wind profile and the blade geometry. In the paper, an original method for designing horizontal‐axis wind turbines under non‐uniform inflow conditions is presented. The authors of the paper made an effort to develop and test an experimentally unsophisticated model of a turbine working in shear flow, and to test it in a wind tunnel under conditions simulating real‐world shear flow. The applied theoretical model is implemented in the design problem based on the local momentum theorem and employs some results of the vortex theory of a propeller. The turbine model was designed for wind tunnel conditions to minimize the effect of scale. The desired velocity profile in the tunnel was obtained using a wire mesh system. The data was approximated by fitting curves and then used in design calculations. The tests were conducted under two flow conditions: a nearly uniform flow generated without screens at the outlet of the contraction and a shear flow, with a velocity profile generated by four screens partially covering the outlet of the contraction. Excellent comparability was obtained between the computational model and the experimental results.