There is a growing market for Wind Energy, where Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT) are currently overshadowed by Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT). While the efficiencies of VAWTs are currently lower than that of their horizontal counterparts, there are significant areas for growth in the VAWT market. The goal of this project was to investigate improvements on VAWTs by designing and developing articulating blades such as those found in Schneider Propellers. The prototype was designed with airfoils with the capability of both articulating and being fixed. In testing it was found that the fixed airfoil design did not start operating at the available wind speeds. At these same wind speeds, it was found that the articulating airfoil design had a maximum efficiency of 8% and produced 7.4 W.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Lackie, Jason Ballou
• Jacobsen, Anne Cecilie
• Rosica, Patrick Lindsay
• Boyd, Morgan Emily
• Jackson, Matthew Stephen

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042915-123856

Advisor

• Savilonis, Brian James

Year

• 2015

Date created

• 2015-04-29

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright

License

• All rights reserved