Quote:

Of all the forces of

nature, I should think
the wind contains the
largest amount of
motive power—that is, Abraham Lincoln
16th President of USA
power to move things.
Lecture 'Discoveries and Inventions' (1860)
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/solar-wind/4288743
What is Wind?
Wind is air in motion caused by natural factors like
the uneven heating of the earth's surface by the
sun, the rotation of the earth and the irregularities
of the earth's surface.
 What is Wind?

Natural cycle of air flow

 What is Wind?

Wind has a
lot of power!
What wind can do?
 What is Wind Power?
Wind power is the ability to harness the power
available in the wind and put it to useful work.
1400-1800 yrs ago 800-900 yrs ago 140 yrs ago 70 yrs ago
in Middle East in Europe

Savonius Type

Windmill

Water pumping
Windmill
Wind turbine for
Source: NREL
Electric power
 World Capacity for Wind Power
• Solar energy produces the large-scale motion
of the atmosphere and winds
• Differential heating causes minor fluctuations
• Coriolis acceleration
• Power in wind 
cube of velocity
• World Energy Council
estimated 20,000 TWh/yr
in potential wind power
 History of Wind Power

From… and…

to…
 Comparisons to Other Energy
Sources
• Environmentally friendly
• Large resource supply
• Cheap operating costs,
1cent/kW·hr
Wind
• Wind – $55.80/MWh
vs. Coal – $53.10/MWh Natural
Gas – $52.50/MWh

Coal Natural Gas

 Energy in Wind
Energy in a moving object, getting slower
KE = (1/2) x m x ( V22 – V12 )
Where, KE is Kinetic Energy, m is mass, V1 is initial
velocity and V2 is final velocity of moving object.
1. If V2 < V1, the object must have slowed-down.
2. The reason of getting slower could be due to
striking with another object.
3. After striking, some of the KE of moving object
must be transferred to the other object.
 Energy in Wind
Other object
(Stationary)

Other object
(Moving after
receiving energy
from moving
Moving object
object)
(High velocity=V1)

Moving object
(Slow velocity=V2)

Exchange of Energies
 Power in Wind
Power in a moving object
P = KE/t = (1/2) x (m/t) x (V22 – V12 )
Where P is power and t is time elapsed during
transfer of energy from moving object to the
other object.
If all the energy is transferred from moving object
to other object, V2 = 0 and V1 = V
And hence,
P = (1/2) x (m/t) x V2
 Power in Wind
Power in a moving object A

A
We know that, m = ρ x vol L
Where ρ is density of object and vol is volume of
object.
And, vol = A x L
Where A is cross-sectional area of object and L is
the extruded length of object.
Hence, m = ρ x A x L
 Power in Wind
Power in a moving object A

A
And therefore, m/t = ρ x A x L/t L
Where, L/t = V i.e. the velocity of moving object.
Hence, m/t = ρ x A x V
Finally,
P = (1/2) x ρ x A x V3
 Maximum Power Output
Pmax = (1/2) x ρ x A x V3
If the moving object is Wind with ρ
(approx. 1.2kg/m3) density, its moving
with V (m/s) velocity and it finally strikes
the wind turbine having A (m2) swept
area such that all of wind’s kinetic
energy is transferred to the wind
turbine, the maximum mechanical
power output of wind turbine must be
Pmax (watts).
Maximum Power Output

Pmax = (1/2) x ρ x A x V3
 Actual Power Output
Pact = (1/2) x ρ x A x Cp x V3
Where Cp is called coefficient of power and it is
the ratio of actual power to the maximum power
of wind turbine.
Cp = Pact / Pmax
The reason of introducing Cp is because, wind
speeds are not reduced to zero in general
practice!
Cp is therefore a sort of efficiency term.
 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy
Pact = (1/2) x ρ x A x Cp x V3
V: Doubling of the wind speed results in an 8 fold
increase in power

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/03-047.htm
 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy

Change in wind velocity and power w.r.t Elevation

 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy
Pact = (1/2) x ρ x A x Cp x V3
ρ: High density of air results in more power
output
The air density decreases with increase in:
1. Elevation
2. Temperature
Remember, air density is the more strong
function of atmospheric pressure then ambient
temperature!
Critical Aspects of Wind Energy

Density change with respect to Elevation

 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy

Density change with respect to Temperature

 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy

Temperature change with respect to Elevation

 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy
Pact = (1/2) x ρ x A x Cp x V3
A: A slight increase in blade length, increases the
area greatly.
Critical Aspects of Wind Energy

Swept area Rule of Thumb

 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy
Pact = (1/2) x ρ x A x Cp x V3
Cp: Different types of wind turbines have
different maximum theoretical efficiencies
An Ideal wind turbine has this value equals to
Betz limit ≈0.593
In practical wind turbines available these days, Cp
is usually in between 0.4 to 0.5
 Ideal Extractor Derivation
Due to Albert Betz

• Continuity, energy balance, and force balance across rotor area

• Key Results:

v1  v 2
v 
'

2
1
P0   v1 A
3

 A v 1  v 2  v 1  v 2 
1
P 
2 2

4
 Ideal Extractor Derivation

• Irrotational system
1   v 2   
2
P v2  • No boundary layer or compression flow
C   1   1  
p
    
P0 2  v1    v1  • Creeping flow (Re << 1)

• Uniform power extraction
16 • No geometry boundary conditions
C p  max
~  0 . 593
27 • Never true!
 Critical Aspects of Wind Energy

Typical value of Cp for different Wind Turbines

 Wind Characteristics and Resources
Understanding the wind resource at location is
critical to understanding the potential for using
wind energy
1. Wind Speed with turbulence intensity
a) Wind profile and patterns
b) Wind classes
c) Collection and reporting
2. Wind Direction
3. Wind speed change with height
 Wind Characteristics and Resources
Wind Speed
1. Measured in
m/s, km/hr
or mph
2. Varies by the
second,
hourly, daily,
seasonally A reliable data set could
and year to have 15-20 years span!
year
 Wind Characteristics and Resources
Wind Speed: Turbulence Intensity
Turbulence intensity quantifies how much the
wind varies typically within 10 minutes.
Because the fatigue loads of
a number of major
components in a wind
turbine are mainly caused by
turbulence, the knowledge of
how turbulent a site is of
crucial importance.
 Wind Characteristics and Resources
Wind Profile and Patterns
1. Diurnal:
Wind always blows in the morning
2. Seasonal:
The winter winds are stronger
3. Characteristics:
Winds from the sea are always stronger and are
storm driven.
Wind Characteristics and Resources

Wind profile and patterns

 Wind Characteristics and Resources
Wind Maps
and Class

Caution: They
are defined on
particular
height.
Wind Characteristics and Resources

Wind speeds and classes

Wind Characteristics and Resources

Wind speeds and classes

 Wind Characteristics and Resources
Wind Speed Data Collection and Reporting
Collection:
• Measured every 2 second
• Averaged every 10 minutes
Reported: As hour averages
Wind Speed Frequency of Occurrence Histogram
is usually based on hour average data for a year.
Wind Characteristics and Resources

Wind speed freq. of occ. histogram

 Wind Characteristics and Resources
Wind Direction
Wind direction is reported by the direction from
which it originates.
For example, a northerly wind blows from the
north to the south.
Wind direction is usually reported in cardinal
directions or in azimuth degrees. For example, a
wind coming from the south is given as 180°;
one from the east is 90°.
Wind Characteristics and Resources

Wind Speed Rose Diagram

 Impacts on Wind Speed
Many things impact the speed and direction of
the wind at any specific location, making local
measurements important.
 Impacts on Wind Speed

Change in wind speeds due to obstacles

 Impacts on Wind Speed

Change in wind speeds due to obstacles

 Wind Shear
• Because of friction with the earth, air closer to
the surface moves slower (also called wind
shear)
• The farther we get
away from the
earth (increase in
altitude) the higher
the wind speed
gets until it is no
longer effected by
the earths surface.
 Wind Shear
The type of surface (grass, trees) impacts the
wind shear.
 Estimating Wind Speed at Elevation

VN: Speed at new height hN: New height,

VO: Speed at original height, hO: Original height,
Terrain Power N = Power Law Exponent
Water or ice 0.1
Low grass or steppe 0.14
Rural with obstacles 0.2
Suburb and woodlands 0.25
 Basic Wind Turbine Theory
Lift and Drag : The different types of wind
turbines
Aerodynamics: How turbines work
Power Curves: The performance of wind
turbines
Power Availability: Power your can get from the
wind
Different types of lift turbines
 Weight, Lift, Thrust and Drag
Four forces affect things that moves in air
1. Weight is the force of gravity.
2. Lift is the force that acts at a right angle to the
direction of motion through the air. Lift is created by
differences in air pressure.
3. Thrust is the force that propels a flying machine in
the direction of motion. Engines produce thrust.
4. Drag is the force that acts opposite to the direction of
motion. Drag is caused by air friction and differences in
air pressure.
 Weight, Lift, Thrust and Drag

Forces acting on an airplane moving in air

Aerodynamic Drag
 Drag type wind turbines

Savonious Modified Savonious

Drag type wind turbines
Drag type wind turbines

A classical drag-type wind turbine

 Drag type wind turbines

A classical drag-type wind turbine (1888)

Aerodynamic Lift
Lift type wind turbine
 Types of Lift Type Wind Turbines
Lift-type wind turbines can be separated into
two basic types determined by which way the
turbine spins

1. Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT)

2. Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT)
HAWT & VAWT
 Advantages of HAWT
• The tall tower base
allows access to
stronger wind in sites
with wind shear.
• High efficiency, since
the blades always
move perpendicularly
to the wind, receiving
power through the
whole rotation.
 Disadvantages of HAWT
• Massive tower construction is required to
support the heavy blades, gearbox, and
generator.
• Components of a horizontal axis wind turbine
(gearbox, rotor shaft and brake assembly) being
lifted into position.
 Disadvantages of HAWT
• Their height
makes them
obtrusively visible
across large
areas, disrupting
the appearance
of the landscape
and sometimes
creating local
opposition.
 Disadvantages of HAWT
• HAWTs require an
additional yaw control
mechanism to turn the
blades toward the wind.
• HAWTs generally require a
braking or yawing device in
high winds to stop the
turbine from spinning and
destroying or damaging
itself.
 Advantages of VAWT
• No yaw mechanisms is needed.
• A VAWT can be located nearer the ground,
making it easier to maintain the moving parts.
 Advantages of VAWT
• VAWTs have lower wind startup speeds than
the typical the HAWTs.
• VAWTs may be built at locations where taller
structures are prohibited.
 Advantages of VAWT
• VAWTs situated
close to the ground
can take advantage
of locations where
rooftops, mesas,
hilltops, ridgelines,
and passes funnel
the wind and
increase wind
velocity.
 Disadvantages of VAWT
• Most VAWTs have a average
decreased efficiency from a
common HAWT, mainly because
of the additional drag that they
have as their blades rotate into
the wind. Versions that reduce
drag produce more energy,
especially those that funnel
wind into the collector area.
 Disadvantages of VAWT
• Having rotors
located close to the
ground where wind
speeds are lower
and do not take
advantage of higher
wind speeds above.
 Disadvantages of VAWT
• Because VAWTs are not
commonly deployed due
mainly to the serious
disadvantages mentioned,
they appear novel to those
not familiar with the wind
industry. This has often made
them the subject of wild
claims and investment scams
over the last 50 years.