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Aerodynamics

Insects can halve wind-turbine power

Nature volume 412, pages 41–42 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

For no apparent reason, the power of wind turbines operating in high winds may drop, causing production losses of up to 25 per cent1. Here we use a new flow-visualization technique to analyse airflow separation over the blades and find that insects caught on the leading edges in earlier low-wind periods are to blame. These potentially catastrophic power glitches can be prevented simply by cleaning the blades.

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Figure 1: Insects cause multiple levels of power output from wind turbines.

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Wind Energy, Energy Centre of The Netherlands, PO Box 1, Petten, 1755 ZG, The Netherlands

    Gustave P. Corten

  2. NEG Micon A/S, Alsvej 21, Randers, 8900, Denmark

    Herman F. Veldkamp

Authors
  1. Gustave P. Corten
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  2. Herman F. Veldkamp
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gustave P. Corten.

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Corten, G., Veldkamp, H. Insects can halve wind-turbine power. Nature 412, 41–42 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35083698

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