Wind+Profile+Experiment

Following on from the measurement tests carried out on the wind tunnel on 5th July 2011, the team decided to develop a wind velocity profile at various positions to observe the activity within the wind tunnel.
 * ﻿ ﻿ Wind Velocity Profiling**
 * Date:** 12th July 2011


 * Apparatus**
 * Wind Tunnel
 * Rutland 913 Wind Charger
 * Axial Fan
 * Variable Speed drive


 * Instruments**
 * Anemometer
 * Digital Multi-meter
 * Digital Thermometer
 * Lux Meter


 * Software**
 * PicoScope
 * MS Excel

The purpose of this experiment was to develop a wind velocity profile at various positions to observe the activity within the wind tunnel. After meetint with the Supervisor, Mr. John Kilcoyne, it was agreed to meet at the Lab and adjust the anemometer from its fixed position in order to acquire numerous results from various positions within the wind tunnel. This was done by removing the anemometer, installing it on the end of metal conduit and connecting extra cabling for better mobility. The anemometer could now be used, extending its reaching distance to complete the velocity profile at each position. A comprehensive air flow profile of the wind tunnel and the area immediately downwind of the turbine was carried out using the newly modified portable anemometer. This was done for two fan speeds (at 30Hz and at 50 Hz supply). The airflow profile consisted of 4 cross-sectional areas consisting of 9 sections/positions each. Each of the 9 sections of the profile should give a basic visualisation of the difference in wind velocity at certain positions.
 * Methodology**

The positions to be documented included;
 * 1) Velocity Profile 1 : At axial Fan
 * 2) Velocity Profile 2 : Midway through Tunnel
 * 3) Velocity Profile 3 : In front of Turbine
 * 4) Velocity Profile 4 : Behind Turbine


 * Procedure:**
 * 1) PicoScope software is opened on the computer to take individual screenshots of the frequency/voltage square-wave displayed at each position of the anemometer.
 * 2) One team member was responsible for the positioning of the mobile anemometer by hand.
 * 3) The second team member assisted this member with the positioning of the anemometer by directing him from different angles to accurately position the anemometer and inform the third member to efficiently screenshot the square wave produced. This was done in an effective manner taking time as an important factor
 * 4) Calculations were made to achieve an average frequency for each individual position, thus providing more accurate results. Once the frequency was obtained, it would be used in Marlec's formula to obtain the wind speed.
 * 5) Once each average frequency was found, the team used the Marlec data sheet provided by the Supervisor to calculate the wind velocity at each position. The formula used and supplied by marlec was U=MX+B, where M=Multiplier, X=Number of pulses per second (Hertz) and B=Offset.
 * 6) Each wind velocity profile was drawn up in MS Excel for analysis as indi
 * 7) Both the turbine and Photovoltaic panel were used as energy sources to charge up the battery during this experiment


 * Results: **

Calculated Wind Speed (m/s) using Marlec supplied Transfer Function

The team was interested in the average wind speeds for profiles 2 and 3 directly in front of the turbine and both gave an average of around 6-6.5 M/sec for the turbine at 50 Hertz. As mentioned earlier, both wind turbine and Photovoltaic power sources were used during this experiment for wind profiling speeds. It is worth noting that only up to 900 W/M2 of solar radiation could be obtained on this experiment day of 12th July as indicated in the table below. Readings were therefore relatively inaccurate due to the sun being shaded. Table 14: The effects of Solar Radiation Using the clip-on ammeter, the wind charge current was found to be around 2.7 Amps and if the Rutland performance graph is used to calculate the wind speed, a similar expected result will be obtained. This wind charger current was also obtained using using //LabView// which will be dealt with in the next chapter. The result of around 6.4 M/sec is indicated in the Rutland graph below: As the battery charged to 13 Volts, the team decided to plug a 40 Watt bulb into the inverter to ascertain whether or not it could power the bulb. It was found that when the inverter was turned on, it briefly powered the bulb but it then cut-out as the voltage dropped. The Wind Turbine and Photovoltaic Panel were obviously not producing sufficient power to adequately light the bulb. It was then decided by the team to construct three 4.6 watt LEDs’. One was wired up and plugged into the inverter where upon it stayed on and a current measurement of 1 Amp was taken. All three LEDs’ were then wired up and plugged into the inverter and all three successfully stayed on and a current measurement of 0.4 Amps was obtained. **Conclusion **  It was possible to carry out a comprehensive air flow profile in the wind tunnel and behind the turbine using the newly adapted portable anemometer at both the sampled wind speeds of 30 and 50 Hertz respectively. All positions of the four profile zones could now be sampled with the detachable conduit extension and the added cabling. Having got the required frequencies, it was now possible to obtain the wind speeds using Marlec’s formulas. From the profile results table it can be seen where the wind speed was very low or almost negligible, particularly in the profile zones nearest the fan. These reductions can be attributed to turbulence and vortices which can slow down or stall the anemometer while taking readings in that specified section. These occurrences are mainly due to the square walls of the wind tunnel which cause much drag and ideally should be cylindrical. Other reasons are obstacles such as the column in front of the wind turbine which normally houses the stationary anemometer and blocks the air flow to the turbine. Another important factor is the metal grid mesh in front of both the fan and wind turbine obviously for safety reasons but certainly an obstruction to the full force of the wind.
 * 50Hz Profile 1 ||  |||||| 30Hz Profile 1 ||
 * 0.35 || 14.9156 || 12.1157 ||  || 3.41 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">11.06 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">8.2295 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">21.3875 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">1.18385 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">1.22975 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">17.333 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.0275 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.716 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">15.65 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.5269 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">20.7755 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">0.35 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.929 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">18.6335 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">10.2372 ||  |||| <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">8.0765 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">50Hz Profile 2 ||  |||||| <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">30Hz Profile 2 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">12.59 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.5575 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">7.235 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">9.53 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.8635 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.8525 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">10.295 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.022 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">2.2625 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">7.7705 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.257 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">0.35 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">11.366 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">8.3825 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">2.1095 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">10.295 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.858 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">0.35 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.98 ||  |||| <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.4585 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">50Hz Profile 3 ||  |||||| <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">30Hz Profile 3 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">10.448 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.858 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.41 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.47 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.7105 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.787 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">9.071 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">2.1095 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.257 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.4755 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">1.4975 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">2.3084 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">11.366 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.623 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.3225 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">9.6065 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.787 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.7925 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.385 ||  |||| <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.8261 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">50Hz Profile 4 ||  |||||| <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">30Hz Profile 4 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">8 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.8329 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">8.2295 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">7.847 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.9455 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.3225 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.6995 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.175 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.716 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.0875 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">2.339 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.563 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.246 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.705 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">3.257 ||  || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">6.47 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.399 || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">2.339 ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">5.5401 ||  |||| <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">AVERAGE || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">4.8125 ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Effect on PV Current and Voltage due to change in Solar Radiation ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Solar Radiation (w/m2) || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">PV Charge Current (I)  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Voltage (V)  ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">500 || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">1.6  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">10.82  ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">600 || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">2.2  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">12  ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">700 || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">2.3  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">12.2  ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">800 || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">2.7  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">12.7  ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">900 || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">3.3  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">13.9  ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">900 || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">3.3  || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">13.9  ||