Tests of Shrouded Wind Turbines in a Wind Tunnel

It has been predicted that a flanged shroud around a horizontal axis wind turbine will significantly enhance the production of electricity by the turbine. To test this, wind tunnel experiments were performed at three different air speeds with a model turbine positioned at the center of the test section. The air pressure in front of and behind the model turbine was measured, and the speed of the turbine was monitored by recording the voltage produced as the turbine turned. Preliminary measurements show that the presence of a shroud does increase the air flow through the turbine. Future work will test multiple designs to investigate what shroud and flange characteristics most contribute to the improvement.