Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impact

Rain erosion induced by raindrops impacting wind turbine blades at high velocity can change the aerodynamic characteristics of the blades and increase maintenance costs. Previous numerical studies on rain erosion have not considered the curvature of the blade leading-edge surfaces and assumed them t...

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Main Authors: Wenping Zhou, Dongyou Zhang, Maoli Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167928
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author Wenping Zhou
Dongyou Zhang
Maoli Yang
author_facet Wenping Zhou
Dongyou Zhang
Maoli Yang
author_sort Wenping Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Rain erosion induced by raindrops impacting wind turbine blades at high velocity can change the aerodynamic characteristics of the blades and increase maintenance costs. Previous numerical studies on rain erosion have not considered the curvature of the blade leading-edge surfaces and assumed them to be flat surfaces. This study established a fluid-solid coupled numerical model combining the finite element method and smooth particle hydrodynamics. It models a water droplet with a diameter of 2.74 mm impacting the curved leading-edge surface of wind turbine blades with radii of curvature of 1.35 mm, 6.75 mm, 67.5 mm, and infinite at 110 m/s, and the effects of the radius of curvature on the impact response were analyzed. The results show that as the radius of curvature of the leading-edge surface increases, the surface obstructs the water droplet more significantly, and the lateral jetting of the water droplet is enhanced. A larger radius of curvature causes more droplet impact energy to be transferred to the curved surface, increasing the contact force between the water droplet and the surface. The increased transferred impact energy results in higher stress and plastic strain values. The decrease in the radius of curvature of a curved surface increases the error in the stress and strain results obtained by assuming it to be a flat surface.
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spelling doaj-art-dfd82ec64585498e899b221d214ff7d72025-08-20T01:59:38ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-12-011023e4076110.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40761Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impactWenping Zhou0Dongyou Zhang1Maoli Yang2School of Physics and Electrical Engineering, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, 553004, China; Corresponding author.School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University, Dalian, 116622, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electrical Engineering, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, 553004, ChinaRain erosion induced by raindrops impacting wind turbine blades at high velocity can change the aerodynamic characteristics of the blades and increase maintenance costs. Previous numerical studies on rain erosion have not considered the curvature of the blade leading-edge surfaces and assumed them to be flat surfaces. This study established a fluid-solid coupled numerical model combining the finite element method and smooth particle hydrodynamics. It models a water droplet with a diameter of 2.74 mm impacting the curved leading-edge surface of wind turbine blades with radii of curvature of 1.35 mm, 6.75 mm, 67.5 mm, and infinite at 110 m/s, and the effects of the radius of curvature on the impact response were analyzed. The results show that as the radius of curvature of the leading-edge surface increases, the surface obstructs the water droplet more significantly, and the lateral jetting of the water droplet is enhanced. A larger radius of curvature causes more droplet impact energy to be transferred to the curved surface, increasing the contact force between the water droplet and the surface. The increased transferred impact energy results in higher stress and plastic strain values. The decrease in the radius of curvature of a curved surface increases the error in the stress and strain results obtained by assuming it to be a flat surface.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167928Wind turbine bladeWater dropletHigh-velocity impactSurface curvatureDynamic response
spellingShingle Wenping Zhou
Dongyou Zhang
Maoli Yang
Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impact
Heliyon
Wind turbine blade
Water droplet
High-velocity impact
Surface curvature
Dynamic response
title Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impact
title_full Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impact
title_fullStr Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impact
title_full_unstemmed Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impact
title_short Effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high-velocity impact
title_sort effects of surface curvature on rain erosion of wind turbine blades under high velocity impact
topic Wind turbine blade
Water droplet
High-velocity impact
Surface curvature
Dynamic response
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167928
work_keys_str_mv AT wenpingzhou effectsofsurfacecurvatureonrainerosionofwindturbinebladesunderhighvelocityimpact
AT dongyouzhang effectsofsurfacecurvatureonrainerosionofwindturbinebladesunderhighvelocityimpact
AT maoliyang effectsofsurfacecurvatureonrainerosionofwindturbinebladesunderhighvelocityimpact