A new urban wind turbine blade design using a pressure-load inverse method

This paper presents the design methodology of a new wind turbine blade section that achieves high performance in urban environment by increasing the maximum lift. For this purpose, a turbomachine blade rows inverse design method was applied to obtain a new wind turbine blade section with constant pressure-load along the chord, at the design inlet angle. In comparison with conventional blade designs, the new blade section has increased maximum lift, reduced leading edge suction peak and controlled soft-stall behaviour, due to the strength reduction of the adverse pressure gradient on the blade suction surface. Wind tunnel experimental results confirmed the computational results.