Abstract:
This paper presents design and construction details of a six-bladed horizontal axis
wind mill suitable for small scale lift irrigation. The main outcome of the study
is the improvement of the rotor performance by introduction of a hub fairing. The
air flow that normally passes through the hub section, without energy been
extracted, is deflected radially to pass through the rotor blades. The optimum radial
variations of the blade twist and chord length are employed so that the available
energy is converted to useful mechanical energy more effectively. The estimated
increase in the power coefficient is approximately 16% at the design speed. The
new rotor has a higher starting torque and thus starts at lower wind speeds
compared with conventional rotors.
The construction phase of the wind mill is nowr complete and tests are in progress
to assess the field performance.
