Based on the flow characteristics of the leading edge tubercles of the humpback whale flipper, the performance and flow characteristics of a horizontal-axis wind turbine with bionic blades are numerically investigated. The NREL Phase VI wind turbine is chosen as the reference wind turbine for this study. The numerical results show that under design conditions （V∞=10 m/s）, the backflow area can be eliminated when tubercles are placed over 81% of the blade span. However, the bionic blade performance is relatively reduced, which is the result of the vortices disturbance near the tubercles. At high wind speeds （V∞=15-25 m/s）, the bionic blade is characterized by strong vortices, which by its role cause the blocking effect. Meanwhile, the increase of the pressure difference between upper and lower surfaces enhance the lift, thereby improving the aerodynamic performance of the bionic blade.
Key words
wind turbines /
flow fields /
numerical analysis /
leading edge tubercles /
stall delayed
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References
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