TITLE:
Wind Turbine Noise Reduction through Blade Retrofitting
AUTHORS:
Sarah Seevers, Robin Ward, Scotty Hutto, Darryl House, Nick Zelenka, Manuel Perea, Daniel Fonseca
KEYWORDS:
Wind Turbine Noise, Blade Retrofitting, Aerodynamic Noise, Electricity Generation
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modelling and Simulation,
Vol.12 No.3,
June
19,
2024
ABSTRACT: This paper outlines a plan for the effective reduction of the audible sound level produced by aerodynamic noise from the power-generating turbine blades. The contribution of aerodynamic noise can be divided into two categories: inflow turbulence and airfoil self-noise. The base model and retrofit blade designs were modeled in SolidWorks. Subsequently, noise prediction simulations were conducted and compared to the base blade model to determine which modification provided the greatest benefit using SolidWorks Flow Simulation. The result of this project is a series of blade retrofit recommendations that produce a more acoustically efficient design and reduce noise complaints while enabling turbines to be placed in locations that require quieter operations.