Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Design and Installation at Chicamocha Canyon

Abstract

The use of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) in Colombia could tackle the energy distribution difficulties as large parts of the territory are not connected to the electrical grid. The present chapter explains how to design and select an accurate VAWT for a mountain site, (the Chicamocha’s canyon) by characterizing the wind energy potential, selecting the appropriate blade’s airfoil, and design its corresponding blades to obtain an accurate VAWT performance. This methodology can be used to design and allocate a VAWT for residential use, as it tackles the critical point on wind energy design and selection. It is found feasible the use of wind energy at the location where the mean year density power is 485 [W/m^2], and the DU06W200 airfoil is suggested as its aerodynamic efficiency (cl/cd) overcomes by 14% the commonly used NACA0018. Finally, straight blades are recommended to overcome the inertial effects of the low wind velocity at the location.