Acoustic emission minimization in a wind turbine using trip-wires and owl-wing-serrations

Copyright © 2015 by ASME. Acoustic noises emitted from wind turbine blades should be reduced to an acceptable level for the uptake of wind energy in buildings and in the urban environment. This paper reports on effectiveness of, Owl-wing-serrations (OWS), twodimensional trip-wires, and Active-noise-cancellation (ANC) in minimization of aerodynamic noises in a micro model turbine. The OWS and trip wires were attached to the blade leading edges and trailing edges in the wind turbine. The model was operated in the fan mode as a single row. Combined effects of OWS and ANC were also tested in a counter rotating doublerow Fan. Air velocity (m/s), shaft-revolution (rpm); electricpower (W), amplitude of acoustic noise (dB) and its Centre frequency (CF in Hz) were measured at a reference location, for a number of spacing. Experimental results were plotted in the forms of dB vs. Tip Speed Ratio (TSR), dB vs. CF, and Efficiency or Coefficients of Performance COP vs. TSR. It was noticed that • In the single row operations, 3mm trip wires and OWS attached to blades have influenced on the emitted aerodynamic noises. OWS reduced dB and increased Cf more than the trip-wires. For example, at a fixed TSR, amplitude of noise (dB) decreased with trip wires or OWS with the lowest dB occurring with the OWS alone. At a fixed dB, Centre frequency (Cf) increased with the highest frequency Cf occurring with OWS alone. Minor changes in efficiency (COP) were noticed with the trip wires or Owl-wing serrations. It may suggest that larger eddies are converted into small turbulences with lower amplitudes and higher frequencies. • Active-noise-cancellation (ANC) in the double row operation affected acoustic noises as spacing/gap between the counterrotating rows changed. At a fixed TSR, dB decreased in the double row operations in comparison with the single-row operations, the reduction in dB increased at higher TSR. At a fixed dB, Centre frequency (Cf) increased by 100% with the highest frequency Cf occurring at the spacing of 50mm. Efficiency or COP decreased by 50% when ANC was implemented with a minor change due to spacing between rows. • Combined effects of OWS and ANC were moderate comparing to ANC alone, reducing both dB and COP by around 35% while doubling Cf as compared to the single raw fan conditions. The minimum dB and maximum Cf occurred at the gap/spacing of 50mm. No significant change was noticed at COP with combined OWS and ANC