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Wind Energy FAQ
Basic Aerodynamic Operating Principles of Wind Turbines
 The Figure illustrates the basic aerodynamic operating principles of a horizontal axis wind turbine.
The wind passes over both surfaces of the airfoil shaped blade. It passes more rapidly over the longer (upper) side of the airfoil, creating a lower- pressure area above the airfoil. The pressure differential between top and bottom surfaces results in a force, called aerodynamic lift. In an aircraft wing, this forces causes the airfoil to "rise," lifting the aircraft off the ground. Since the blades of a wind turbine are constrained to move in a plane with the hub as its center, the lift force causes rotation about the hub. In addition to lift force, a "drag" force perpendicular to the lift force impedes rotor rotation. A prime objective in wind turbine design is for the blade to have a relatively high lift-to-drag ratio. This ratio can be varied along the length of the blade to optimize the turbine’s energy output at various wind speeds.
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