OPTIMIZATION OF TURBINE BLADE PITCH ANGLE OF A HOMEBUILT TURBINE FOR MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT

Abstract

The increasing demand for renewable energy sources has led to a growing interest in wind energy as a viable and sustainable option. Home built wind turbines offer a cost effective and accessible way for individuals and small communities to generate their own electricity. However, optimizing the performance of these turbines is crucial to maximize their power output and ensure their efficiency and reliability Wind energy greatly reduces the world’s dependence on fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) and is environmentally friendly. One of the most cost-effective alternatives of energy sources is wind power. This study used a horizontal axis wind turbine to investigate the optimal blade pitch angle that can give maximum electrical output. Specific areas of studies will be to identify the various pitch angles, then validate the pitch angels for the maximum power produced by the turbine. A proportional integral derivative pitch controller was used to establish blade pitch angles. Wind speeds of 3, 4, 5 and 6 m/s were run at every pitch angle respectively, and a maximum electrical power output was 1124.7W at a blade pitch angle of 16.80 when a wind speed of 6 m/s was used. Every wind speed had was run for 100 seconds. A simulation, using Visual Basic 6 software, was done at the respective blade pitch angles, and a wind speed of 6 m/s. The electricity produced was recorded. The simulated electrical power produced yielded a relationship that predicted the electrical power output with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9752; this shows a very close agreement with actual electric output values. It is recommended that a similar study be conducted to investigate maximum power output for vertical wind turbines.