Distribution of Wind Speed Before and After Through Vane Tube Type Flow Straightener

Abstract

Wind energy is one of the most potential renewable energy sources to be utilized as a source of electrical energy. Utilization of wind energy for electricity generation does not cause negative impact on the environment. Wind in the atmosphere is in turbulent conditions. Wind in turbulent conditions has a random and uniform velocity. In wind power plants wind speed is a major factor affecting the amount of wind energy input that can be converted into electrical anergy. The main part of wind power is wind turbines. This wind turbine converts wind energy into mechanical energy of shaft rotation and then converted into electrical energy by electric generator. To measure wind speed the wind speed conditions are made uniformly by using wind flow alignment. The wind flow straightening test kit consists of flow alignment, fan, pitot tube meter, and pitot tube holder arm rod. Straight stream flow used in this study is the type of vane tube. In this study, the wind speed measurement was taken before and after passing the flow straighteners. Measurements of wind velocity on the cross section of the wind turbine are performed horizontally, vertically and diagonally. The number of wind speed measurements as much as fifty-two points of gravity with the distance between the point of measurement about two centimeters. Based on the results of measurement and analysis, the average wind speed before passing the straightener is about 4.94 m/s and after passing the flow alignment is about 3.22 m/s. The wind velocity distribution after passing through the vane tube flow alignment is more uniform.