The Lebost Wind Turbine - Laboratory tests and data analysis
Abstract
Previous research work on windmills suggests the desirability of wind energy machines with the advantages of a vertical axis and a flow-focusing housing or shroud. Such a vertical-axis device was proposed by Lebost (1977) and called Lebost Wind Turbine, which incorporates flow-focusing inlets fixed to a housing shroud surrounding blades rotating normal to the flow. In this paper, preliminary results are presented from a series of wind tunnel tests assessing the aerodynamic torque and power characteristics of the Lebost Wind Turbine, along with a comparison with other windmills. The advantages of the Lebost Wind Turbine for wind energy conversion include a relatively high power coefficient based on projected frontal area, a vertical rotation axis with concomitant reduction of gyroscopic forces as wind direction shifts, good load matching characteristics for hydraulic pump-type and brake-heating loads, reduced centrifugal rotor stresses, reduced bearing wear, operation in higher velocity winds owing to low rotation rates, and a high safety factor associated with the restraining influence of the housing structure.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Energy
- Pub Date:
- June 1978
- Bibcode:
- 1978JEner...2..175H
- Keywords:
-
- Shrouded Turbines;
- Wind Tunnel Tests;
- Windmills (Windpowered Machines);
- Windpower Utilization;
- Angular Velocity;
- Boundary Layer Transition;
- Energy Conversion Efficiency;
- Energy Technology;
- Power Efficiency;
- Torque;
- Energy Production and Conversion