Active Micro-Tabs for Load Control on Wind Turbine Blades

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Oliver Paschereit
• Subject Area: Fluid Mechanics
• Term: from 2013 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 236580630

• Final Report Year: 2020

Final Report Abstract

In summary, the results provided a significantly deeper insight in the steady and unsteady aerodynamics of tabs and flaps. Both proved to be potential means for load control applications. When it comes to load control designated only for predictable loads (caused e.g. by wind shear) the flaps have more advantages over the micro-tabs since they have a smoother load response without adverse effects. However, for load control, including sudden gusts and turbulence that might cause high angles of attack, the flap is not as beneficial, since the separation starting at the trailing edge causes the flap to be less effective. Hence, one can either use micro-tabs instead or apply additional vortex generators with the flap and accept the associated higher drag penalties.

Publications

• Influence of a Finite Width Micro-Tab on the Spanwise Lift Distribution. ASME. Turbo Expo: Power for Land, Sea, and Air, Volume 8: Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles; Wind Energy. (2013)
  Holst, D.; Bach, A. B.; Nayeri, C. N. & Paschereit, C. O.
  
• Transition effects of active micro-tabs for wind turbine load control, Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, June 3-7, San Antonio, Texas, USA (2013)
  Bach, A. B.; Holst, D.; Nayeri, C. N. & Paschereit, C. O.
  
• Finite micro-tab system for load control on a wind turbine, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, (2014)
  Bach, A. B.; Lennie, M.; Pechlivanoglou, G.; Nayeri, C. N. & Paschereit, C. O.
  
• Experimental investigation of the aerodynamic lift response of an active finite Gurney flap. AIAA, Aerosp. Sci. Tech. (2015)
  Bach, Alena B.; Berg, Richard; Pechlivanoglou, Georgios; Nayeri, C. & Paschereit, Christian O.
  
• Wake vortex field of an airfoil equipped with an active finite Gurney flap, AIAA, Aerosp. Sci. Tech., (2015)
  Bach, Alena B.; Pechlivanoglou, Georgios; Nayeri, C. & Paschereit, Christian O.
  
• The unsteady aerodynamic response of an airfoil with micro tabs and its implications for aerodynamic damping AIAA SciTech Forum, Conference Series, January (2016)
  Lennie, Matthew; Bach, Alena; Pechlivanoglou, George; Nayeri, Christian & Paschereit, Christian O.