Wind and Solar Resource Studies at Kanyakumari

A Wind-Solar Photovoltaic Hybrid Power Supply System is proposed to be set-up at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari as a demonstration project sponsored by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), New Delhi with co-ordination by the Center for Wind Energy Technology ( C-W ET), Chennai. It is envisaged that this 1 0-1 5kW system will supply electrical power to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial with a small diesel backup. Measurements of the wind speedldirection and solar insolation are required. C-WET has made a special request to the Wind Energy Programme, NAL to carryout this work as it has the necessary expertise and equipment

Calibration of Anemometers

In this respect details of the calibration carried out on Maximum type #40 cup anemometers and Ice-Free Anemometer

Wind Turbine Development : An NAL R & D Perspective

India has a huge wind power potential. However, hardly 4% has been harnessed for the generation of grid-quality electricity and that too by employing entirely imported wind turbines. Among the main bottlenecks to the large - scale penetration of wind power are high capital investment and suitability of the wind turbines to the Indian wind environment. Thus, the development of an indigenous, low cost, robust, technologically advanced wind turbine to enable the widespread utilization of wind power is a high priority for the Indian Wind Energy Programme. A mission-oriented and technology driven strategy of the National Aerospace Laboratories towards meeting this goal is enunciated. This includes the appropriate development of a 300kW class, downwind, stall - regulated wind turbine incorporating a two - bladed teetered rotor. A conceptual design of this wind turbine is give

System Architecture of a 2 kW Variable speed generator test bed

Apart from quantifying the power curve of a stand alone aero-generator, it is important to characterize the generator. Lab level testing of the generator needs to be carried out to quantify the various losses and evaluating the off-design performance. Therefore, it is necessary to have a versatile test bench to study the generators, indigenously developed at NAL for small wind turbine application. In view of this acute need of a test bench, the design of a Variable Speed Generator Test bed is done. The rating of the generators, that would be tested, is restricted to 2 kW and less

Aerodynamic design & analysis of the Innovative Tip Brake of the NMITLI 500 kW Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine

The present report consolidates the aerodynamic sizing of an innovative tip brake. The innovativeness in the design lies in the fact that the tip brake, in the braking position, not only provides a braking surface to retard the rotor, but also spoiles the flow over the outboard portion of the wind turbine rotor lifting aerofoil blade. At the same time, in its non-braking position, when the flaps are inline with the main blade, it acts as leading edge flaps and trailing edge slats and thereby augments the power to consequently improve the performance of the rotor. The present report consolidates the aerodynamic design and analysis of the primary tip brake and spoiler flaps that has been worked out for the braking mode. The augmentation due to the presence of the flaps in the non braking mode has also been worked out. The loads during the braking (aerodynamic pressure / loads acting on the surface of the tip brake) have been quantified. The sizing was done for three configurations of the aerodynamic brake with different primary tip brake width (0.6 m, 1 m, 1.25 m and 1.5 m). Finally, after intra-divisional discussions, the final configuration with primary tip brake width of 1.5 m was chosen for further structural design

Aerodynamic design of the 500 W wind turbine rotor/blade

The present report gives an account of the Aerodynamic Design of a 500 W aero-generator rotor/blade for battery charging application. Based on the literature survey, conceptual design of the base line rotor blade was carried out. Aerofoils available in the open domain were surveyed and 16 aerofoils were chosen. Design of the shape of the blade (twist and chord) was carried out for each aerofoil. Analysis using GH-Bladed was done to predict the performance of the rotor for different operating conditions. Finally the performances were comparatively studied and four aerofoils were chosen for detailed investigation. The report concludes with the future works envisaged viz. prediction of the segmental loadings and structural design of the rotor blades and making fabrication drawings

Research, Design, Development & Demonstration (RD3) of a Wind Solar Hybrid (WiSH) System

Wind energy related activities had been initiated at NAL by the first director Dr P Nilakantan in 1959 and later valuable contributions were made through the wind resource assessment leading to the discovery of major windy sites in the southern India during the 70’s energy crisis. In the past few years, NAL had ventured into the design and development of wind turbines in order to create the indigenous technology base within the country. With its rich multi-disciplinary experience in the niche area of design of aircraft wings and helicopter rotors, an indigenous development of a 500 W wind turbine rotor for low wind conditions was taken up and successfully completed. However, to address the energy needs of remote areas in the country, it was realized that a hybrid concept tapping the wind and solar resources would be ideal and hence the development of a Wind-Solar Hybrid (WiSH) system was initiated at CSMST, NAL. This developmental work was multi-disciplinary in nature involving domains of aerodynamics, structural dynamics, electrical & controls and composite fabrication technology. The challenges of integrating the two devices (wind turbine and the solar PV panels) were addressed and the necessary hardware was developed with support from the local vendors. Yet another notable aspect of the hybrid system development was that under a PPP model, the industrial partner M/s. Aparna Renewable Energy Sources (P) Ltd. (ARES), Bengaluru, was involved in this effort right from day one, to facilitate the post development production and marketing of the product. The present paper highlights the key challenges in Research, Design, Development and Demonstration (RD3) of the WiSH system. It elucidates how NAL translated high end aerospace technologies into applications in the renewable energy sector & designed an India-specific low wind regime wind turbine, hybridized it with the Solar PV panels and demonstrated the WiSH system along with ARES – a local MSME

Preliminary studies of the Aero-generator for battery charging application

The present report gives a brief overview of the Indian Small Wind Turbine Market. The macroscopic scenario is presented and aspects such as domestic and foreign marked potentials, barriers, technology needs and the strategies required to boost the small wind turbine sector are presented. NAL’s wind turbine development program, since its establishment in 1959, has been presented and different machines developed at NAL. Finally, NAL’s vision of developing a 500 W class stand alone horizontal axis wind turbine for battery charging is explained. This project would aim at utilizing NAL’s experience and expertise in aerospace domain to develop an indigenous wind turbine system. A variant of this can be considered for urban and military application also. The basic strategy is explained. The report ends with a note committing the realization of a 500 W wind turbine system, whose development would be consumer as well as market driven. The report gives a strategic description of the project and no technical issues have been included. However, subsequently, as NAL progresses along its predefined strategy of developing 500 W wind turbine under the 11th Five Year Plan, the technical and design reports of all the aspects like rotor aerodynamic and structural design, drive-train, generator, tower and controller would be brought up

Integrated Weather and Wind Shear Alert system Interim Report June 1988-91

We report on the work completed on the "Integrated Weather and Wind Shear Alert System" during the period June 1988 to June 1991 . A brief note is also made of our projected activity during the next year subject to the sponsor's approval

Procedure for commissioning and operation of the NMITLI 500kW Wind turbine system

The report details procedure for rectification, installation and starting, running and stopping of the turbine. Also details the important points needed to be checked for before and during the running of wind turbine