Research and development of shrouded wind turbines with wind-lens technology

This poster presentation described a wind lens technology designed for use in shrouded wind turbine applications. The technology was designed to increase the efficiency of the wind turbine by increasing wind energy concentrations. A field experiment for 500 W and 5 kW wind lens turbines was conducted at a wind energy utilization project in Fukuoka City, Japan. A numerical simulation of a diffuser shroud with a cycloid section was used to characterize vorticity and pressure and to develop a compact brimmed-diffuser shroud. Power output tests of the wind lens shroud with a unified cycloid section and vortex control plates were conducted. The tests showed that the lens increased power output by 2 to 5 times. A significant reduction in wind turbine noise was also observed. tabs., figs.