A new correlation on the MEXICO experiment using a 3D enhanced blade element momentum technique

Abstract

The blade element momentum (BEM) theory is based on the actuator disc (AD) model, which is probably the oldest analytical tool for analysing rotor performance. The BEM codes have very short processing times and high reliability. The problems of the analytical codes are well known to the researchers: the impossibility of describing inside the one-dimensional code the three-dimensional (3D) radial flows along the span-wise direction. In this work, the authors show how the 3D centrifugal pumping affects the BEM calculations of a wind turbine rotor. Actually to ascertain the accuracy of the analytical codes, the results are compared with rotor performance, blade loads and particle image velocimetry measurements of the model experiment in controlled conditions. A reliable agreement with the measurement is obtained. A good improvement is gained when the blade stall state modified aerofoil data instead of the original aerofoil data are used in the calculations.

Keywords:

• BEM theory
• stall state modelling
• wind turbine rotor modelling
• MEXICO experiment

Acknowledgements

The authors express their grateful appreciation to the University of Tehran in Iran, UAS Kiel in Germany, ECN in the Netherland and Bonyade Melliye Nokhbegan in Iran for their scientific and financial supports.