Design and Modelling of Small Scale Wind Turbine for Domestic Power Generation

The rapid growth of population, limited fossil fuel reserves, and their adverse effect on the environment compel a change over to alternate energy sources for electricity generation. Among such renewable sources, wind is the most prominent and sustainable energy source. Wind turbines operate by converting the kinetic energy available in wind as mechanical energy which can be later used for electricity generation. Although “large scale wind turbines” are commonly engaged to produce megawatts of power, they demand more space, involve high installation costs, and are unsuitable for residential purposes. An alternate approach is to use “Small-Scale Wind Turbines” which require less space, are cost-effective, and are quick to install. However, it is essential to properly model several parameters of small-scale wind turbines for efficient power extraction. This paper intends to design the parameters of a 1 kW small wind turbine to maximize power output by identifying the optimum tip speed ratio and considering the effect of a change in Reynolds number. From the derived observations, the performance characteristics of a small-scale wind turbine are analyzed.