Search

The morphing technologies represent a potential candidate for replacing conventional control surface devices. The design of an actively driven compliant trailing edge structure is demonstrated. The generated deflection layout is identified with a three-dimensional, seamless, and continuous wave-like quadratic layout upon activation. The numerical finite element modeling and results of the adaptive structure are presented.

The constant reliance on sustainable energy resources is driving the research community toward adopting advanced and effective wind turbine systems. A trailing-edge segment featuring seamless and continuous morphed layout is presented. The aim is to quantitatively assess the potentials of the morphed surface in boosting the power output of small-scale wind turbines. Integration of the morphed trailing edge to the rotor blade demonstrated significant contribution in promoting power extraction particularly under low wind speed.

The constant increase in reliance on sustainable energy resources is driving the research community towards adopting innovative and efficient wind turbine systems. A trailing-edge segment featuring seamless, wavelike, and continuous deflected layout is presented and integrated into a small-scale wind turbine blade. The study aims to quantitatively assess the potential of a moderately morphed (bumped) trailing edge in enhancing the power output of the wind turbines mainly at low wind velocity operating conditions. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Phase-II wind turbine is selected to be the benchmark model for the current quantitative analysis. Three-dimensional transient computational fluid dynamic (CFD) numerical analysis is established at three operating wind velocities using Ansys Fluent solver. The computed results of the baseline rotor blade are validated using data taken from the NREL/NASA-Ames experimental report. The implementation of a morphed (bumped) trailing edge shows a significant contribution in promoting energy harvesting with just a few degrees of smooth and gradual deformation. Compared to the baseline model, up to 53% in additional power gain is obtained from the rotor blade with integrated morphed (bumped) trailing edge segment. Thus, the compromised aerodynamic performance of stall-controlled small-scale wind turbines can be greatly improved with the utilization of morphing-capable trailing edge systems.