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Wind Turbine Rotor Fragments: Impact Probability And Setback Evaluation, Scott M. Larwood, C. P. Van Dam
Wind Turbine Rotor Fragments: Impact Probability And Setback Evaluation, Scott M. Larwood, C. P. Van Dam
Scott M. Larwood
With increasing installation of wind turbines, the exposure to the hazard of impact from blade fragments increases. Local authorities use setbacks to reduce the risk by limiting the distance from wind turbines to adjacent property lines and dwellings. Unduly conservative setbacks are a deterrent to wind energy development. To determine appropriate setbacks, the authors developed a fragment trajectory model based on fragment rotation and aerodynamics. The model was used to simulate fragment trajectories at various rotor speeds, with randomly generated inputs for wind speed, wind direction, rotor azimuth, and rotor break position. Four sizes of wind turbines were studied, with …
Design Studies Of Swept Wind Turbine Blades, Scott M. Larwood, C. P. Van Dam, Daniel Schow
Design Studies Of Swept Wind Turbine Blades, Scott M. Larwood, C. P. Van Dam, Daniel Schow
Scott M. Larwood
The growth of wind energy is sustained by innovation that lowers the cost of energy. One recent innovation is the swept blade, which deflects in operation and lowers loads. With sweep, a design rotor diameter can increase, capturing more power, with the loads remaining within limits. This concept has been demonstrated in a U.S. program and is in commercial production. This paper describes a parametric study of swept blade design parameters for a 750 kW machine. The amount of tip sweep had the largest effect on the energy production and blade loads; other parameters had less impact. The authors then …