Aerodynamic effects of leading-edge tape on aerofoils at low Reynolds numbers

A systematic wind tunnel study was conducted to gain an understanding of the aerodynamic effects of leading-edge tape, which is typically used on small wind turbines as a protection from blade erosion. The wind tunnel tests included lift and drag measurements over the Reynolds number range from 150,000 to 500,000. In addition, flow visualization experiments were carried out. Various tape configurations were tested on five aerofoils, namely the BW-3, FX 63-137, S822, SG6042 and SG6051. Although the magnitude of the aerodynamic effects of the tape was aerofoil-dependent, it was found that extending the tape beyond 5% chord and staggering multiple tape layers were most beneficial in minimizing the loss in aerofoil performance. The practical significance of the results on wind turbine performance is discussed. In particular, the data for the SG6042 aerofoil were used to quantify the effects of the tape on the power coefficient of small variable-speed wind turbines. Overall, the different tape configurations tested reduced the power coefficient by no more than 2·1%. From the trends shown, however, larger reductions in power coefficient should be expected for larger wind turbines than those considered, particularly if two layers of tape are used. In light of this study, guidelines for optimum application are suggested.