Short Course on Aerodynamic Blade Design
Steady-State Aerodynamics Codes for HAWTs:
Their Use in Blade Design and Related Issues
With An Emphasis on PROPID
Michael S. Selig, James L. Tangler, and Philippe Giguère
Created on 9/3/99
Course Overview and Objectives
The main objective for this short course on aerodynamic blade design
is to "learn by doing." Accordingly, the focus will be on
systematically using the computer program PROPID in a tradeoff study leading to a final
blade geometry. Several blade design examples will be used to achieve
this goal.
Background information on blade design methods, tradeoffs, and issues
will be covered. Following the working session with PROPID, a few
topics regarding airfoil data will be discussed to highlight its
impact on the blade design process. Finally, different approaches to
blade geometry optimization will be discussed, and an overview of the
companion code PROPGA will be given.
At the end of this short course, participants will be given the latest
version of PROPID and should have a working knowledge of these
topics:
- Balancing tradeoffs in blade design - aerodynamics, structures,
cost, and noise
- Understanding key design criteria for wind turbine airfoils
- Making appropriate airfoil selections for a particular blade
design
- Applying empirical post-stall models and understanding their
limitations
- Using the inverse and direct design capabilities of PROPID
- Preparing airfoil data sets for PROPID, including the
treatment of roughness effects
- Understanding the purpose of PROPGA in comparison with PROPID
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