Comparative Analysis and Evaluation of Multiple Airfoil Configurations and Their Impact on the Performance of a 10 MW Wind Turbine Blade

Tonmoy Sarker, Raihan Ahmed Redoy, Zaber Mhamud, Protick Chandra Ghosh ^*, Arnab Das

Abstract

The performance of wind turbine blades is heavily influenced by the choice and configuration of airfoils along the blade span. This study presents a comparative analysis and evaluation of multiple airfoil configurations for a 10 MW utility-scale Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT). The objective is to investigate how different combinations of airfoils affect overall blade performance. The first design considered using a single airfoil profile consistently applied across the entire span of the blade. This approach aimed to assess the baseline performance and simplicity of uniform design. The second design introduced a combination of airfoils from the same family the FFA-W3 series strategically selected and distributed along the blade span. This allowed for performance optimization within a consistent aerodynamic framework. Finally, the third case featured a hybrid configuration, incorporating airfoils from different families, including FFA-W3, NACA, SG, and NREL. This configuration carefully assigned airfoils to the blade's root, mid, and tip sections based on their specific performance characteristics. Analysis was conducted using QBlade by Blade Element Method (BEM); Results were compared across all configurations to determine optimal arrangements for maximizing efficiency. The findings reveal that multi-airfoil configurations significantly outperform single-airfoil blades in terms of efficiency, especially when airfoils are strategically selected for their respective positions along the blade span. This study provides valuable insights for wind turbine blade designers seeking to enhance energy capture in large-scale wind turbines.

Objective

It is important to note that the 10 MW wind turbine represents the shift toward large-scale, high-capacity turbines critical for maximizing energy yield in offshore and high-resource onshore sites. Turbines in the 8–15 MW class reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by minimizing the number of units and infrastructure per megawatt installed. Analyzing a 10 MW blade allows a realistic evaluation of aerodynamic performance under high Reynolds number conditions, larger blade chord lengths, and increased structural loading. It also enables a detailed study of airfoil efficiency, load distribution, and torque generation, critical to next-generation blade designs35. The 10 MW turbine is an industry-relevant and technically challenging benchmark for comparative aerodynamic analysis.

This study aims to assess the influence of various airfoil configurations on the aerodynamic performance of a 10 MW wind turbine blade. It compares the effects of using single, same-family, and mixed-family airfoils on essential performance parameters. The objective is to uncover trends that will assist in selecting airfoils that enhance blade efficiency.

Graphical Representation

Key Points

• Designed multiple Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) turbine blades using different airfoil configurations via Qblade software.
• Compared different airfoil configurations to maximize the performance of the wind turbine.