
160 Principles of Sustainable Energy Systems
© 2008 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
focus on understanding the basics of the blade aerodynamics to design an efcient WT.
Aerodynamics is the study of bodies moving through gases. Its use allows the blade and
tower shape to be optimized as well as optimizing blade rotational speed. The goal is
to maximize the extraction of power from the incoming wind stream and minimize the
effect of wind loads (both steady and unsteady).
The efciency of a WT is the power extracted by a WT from the power contained in the
wind owing through the area of the blades. Figure 3.18 contains a schematic comparing
this relationsh ...