International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Volume 3, Special Issue 3: ICERTSD 2013, Feb 2013, pages 264-269

An ISO 9001:2008 certified Int. Journal, ISSN 2250-2459, available online at www.ijetae.com

QBLADE: AN OPEN SOURCE TOOL FOR DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF

HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINES

D. Marten1*, J. Wendler1, G. Pechlivanoglou1,2 C.N. Nayeri1, C.O. Paschereit1

1
Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Technical Acoustics,
Technical University Berlin, Germany

2
SMART BLADE GmbH, Berlin, Germany

+
[email protected]

ABSTRACT
The software QBlade is developed as an open source framework for the simulation and design of wind turbines.
QBlade utilizes the Blade Element Momentum (BEM) method for the simulation of horizontal axis- and a Double
Multiple Streamtube (DMS) algorithm for the simulation of vertical axis wind turbine performance. For the design of
custom airfoils and the computation of airfoil lift- and drag coefficient polars the viscous-inviscid coupled panel
method code XFOIL is integrated within the graphical user interface of QBlade. Additionally, a module for the
extrapolation of airfoil polars, beyond the stall point, for a 360° range of angles of attack is integrated. The resulting
functionality allows the use of QBlade as a comprehensive tool for wind turbine design. QBlade is constantly being
maintained, validated and advanced with new functionality. This paper describes the software and its modules, at the
current state, in theory and application.

Keywords: QBlade, Wind Energy, Horizontal & Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Simulation, BEM, DMS

1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE SOFTWARE MODULES

The software project QBlade [1] was started in 2010
at the chair of fluid mechanics of the TU Berlin. The
motivation was to create a single tool that comprises all
the functionality needed for aerodynamic wind turbine
design and simulation without the need to import,
convert or process data from other sources (Fig.1.).
Another focus was on embedding the code in a
convenient graphical user interface to improve
accessibility over comparable simulation codes. In
order to facilitate research on wind turbines worldwide Fig.1. Software modules inside QBlade
the software is distributed freely under a GPL license
and also utilizes functions and modules from other 2.1 Airfoil Design and Analysis
proven and tested open-source projects. QBlade has The BEM and DMS algorithms, that are applied to
been downloaded more than 20.000 times during the simulate a wind turbine, require tabulated data of lift
last two years and is applied by universities, companies and drag coefficients over different angles of attack
and individuals around the world. The benefits of such a (AoA). This data is either obtained via experiments or
large user base are the constant questioning of results, through two dimensional flow simulations. The
frequent validation and fast debugging of the simulation software XFOIL [2], developed by Drela and Giles at
routines from user feedback. The functionality of MIT, is a program to analyze and compute the flow
QBlade includes the following modules: around subsonic isolated airfoils. XFOIL combines a
high-order panel method with a fully coupled
 Airfoil design and analysis viscous/inviscid interaction method (Fig.2.). XFOIL has
 Lift and drag polar extrapolation been validated numerous times [3] and is considered as
 Blade design and optimization one of the standard low order airfoil analysis tools.
 Turbine definition and simulation

Presented at International Conference on Energy Resources and ICERTSD2013-08-180

Technologies for Sustainable Development, 07-09 February 2013, © IJETAE2013
Howrah, India.
 Int. J Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 3, Special Issue 3: ICERTSD 2013, Feb 2013, pages 264-269

In 2003 Depperois created XFLR5 [4], by combining 2.3 Blade Design and Optimization
a graphical user interface with XFOIL and porting the The blade design module (Fig.4.) allows for the
software from FORTRAN to C++. XFOIL also has the efficient and intuitive design of rotors and blade shapes.
capability to design and analyze custom airfoils, using OpenGL visualization (Fig.5.) of the blade and rotor
splines or dynamic coordinate mixing. The software design as well as a geometry export function to the .stl
XFLR5, with all its functionality, is integrated CAD format is implemented. A rotor blade is defined by
seamlessly into QBlade to generate two dimensional distributing airfoils, created inside the airfoil module,
airfoil coordinates for blade design and airfoil lift and over different radial (HAWT) or height (VAWT)
drag coefficients for turbine simulations. sections of the blade. The geometry is further defined by
specifying chord length, twist angle, edgewise or
flapwise blade curvature, azimuthal angle and the twist
axis of each individual airfoil.

Fig.2. Pressure distribution at 15° AoA around a NACA

63(4)-421 airfoil, computed with XFLR5

2.2 Extrapolating Lift and Drag Coefficients to

360° Angle of Attack
The XFOIL algorithm is based on potential flow
theory and therefore is limited to predict lift and drag
coefficients at angles that lie before and just beyond
Fig.4. VAWT blade design module in QBlade
stall. For very high or low angles of attack the algorithm
is not converging. This is not a constraint in the aircraft
Furthermore, optimization algorithms for an optimal
design context that XFOIL was written for. However,
distribution of blade twist angles and chord lengths for a
during the operation of a HAWT, angles of attack as
chosen tip speed ratio (TSR) can be applied. For
high as 70° can occur in the inner regions of the rotor
HAWTs the blade twist distribution is optimized such
blades. Moreover, stall controlled HAWT and VAWT in
that each section faces the relative wind vector at an
general can experience very high or low AoA during
angle that offers the highest glide ratio at the chosen
operation. To ensure the smooth operation of the BEM
design TSR. The chord lengths for HAWT can either be
and DMS algorithms the XFOIL generated or imported
optimized after Schmitz [7]:
airfoil polars need to be extrapolated to the full range of
360° AoA (Fig.3.). The general procedure for this
16R 1  R 
cr  
extrapolation is to apply curve fits to the completely
sin 2  tan 1    (1)
BC L   
stalled polar curves of a thin plate, under the assumption
that at high AoA an airfoil behaves very much like a thin  3 
 0 
r
plate with a sharp leading edge. Two different
approaches, of how to generate this extrapolation, are or after Betz [7]:
implemented in QBlade. Polars can be extrapolated
after the Viterna-Corrigan post stall model [5] that is R
cr  
16 1
(2)
9 BC L  0
often used by the industry or after the more recently
2
developed model of Montgomerie [6]. It is very  r 4
important to note that the simulated turbine  0  
performance, especially of stall controlled HAWT or  R 9
VAWT, is very sensitive to this extrapolation.
For a VAWT blade the distribution of the radial
positions of the blade sections can be optimized by
means of numerically solving elliptic integrals to
approximate a Troposkien shape (Fig.5.) [8]. A
Troposkien shape is a blade shape where the blade
stresses resulting from centrifugal forces only act
normal to the blades cross sections.

Fig.3. NACA-63(4)-421 polar extrapolation to 360°

© IJETAE2013 265 ICERTSD2013-08-180

 Int. J Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 3, Special Issue 3: ICERTSD 2013, Feb 2013, pages 264-269

The „turbine simulation‟ (Fig.6.) results in the

specified turbines performance over a range of wind
speeds and also yields the annual energy production for
a given Weibull wind speed distribution.
A „multi-parameter simulation‟ can be carried out
over a set of rotational speeds, blade pitch angles and
wind speeds and results in the turbines full operational
envelope. This is helpful to develop custom turbine
controller strategies or to investigate the turbine
Fig.5. Wind turbine rotors designed and visualized in characteristics in several operation states.
QBlade: HAWT rotor, swept VAWT rotor, All simulation results are visualized in a post
Troposkien shaped VAWT rotor processor module and can be analyzed with more than
30 variables.
2.4 Turbine Definition and Simulation
In addition to the rotor geometry the wind turbine
type has to be further specified. The form of power
regulation (stall, pitch, prescribed pitch) and rotational
speed (single, two step, variable) and additional
parameters such as cut in and cut out velocity or
generator efficiency need to be defined. When the setup
is completed the turbine can be simulated in three
different ways. A „dimensionless simulation‟ is carried
out over a number of tip speed ratios and yields only
dimensionless results, which is particularly useful for
comparing different rotor geometries.

Fig.7. QBlades multi parameter simulation module

3. SIMULATION ALGORITHM
Methods that are based on the blade element theory
coupled with a momentum balance over single or
multiple streamtubes are widely applied in the wind
turbine industry. With these methods the rapid
development and comparison of different rotor designs
against one another is possible. Also, the use of lower
order accuracy analysis techniques greatly facilitates a
preliminary wind turbine design that can later be studied
in greater detail with more sophisticated CFD
techniques. The verification of these computationally
efficient “engineering methods” with wind tunnel data
and field measurements justifies their application to
analyze the rotor blades from a simplified, two
dimensional airfoil, point of view.

3.1 Blade Element Momentum Method

The analysis of a HAWT is based on the classical
blade element momentum method, as described by
Hansen [9]. The BEM combines the blade element
theory, to account for the local blade forces, with a
momentum balance over the rotor disc that models the
flow field. Blade forces and flow momentum are related
over discrete angular rotor sections. This relation leads
to a set of equations that can be solved iteratively. The
BEM assumes uniform, steady state inflow and radial
independence of the two dimensional airfoil sections.
From these assumptions three dimensional effects, that
play an important role in wind turbine aerodynamics,
Fig.6. Screenshot of simulation results of a pitch and are not considered in the equations.
stall regulated HAWT, comparing power and thrust

© IJETAE2013 266 ICERTSD2013-08-180

 Int. J Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 3, Special Issue 3: ICERTSD 2013, Feb 2013, pages 264-269

However the impact of these effects on the turbines

loads and performance is considered by additional
semi-empirical correctional equations. The optional
corrections to the BEM that are included in QBlade are:
 Prandtl blade tip and root vortex correction [9]
 Shen blade tip and root vortex correction [10]
 Snel‟s correction for the Himmelskamp effect
(three dimensional blade crossflow) [11]
 Buhl‟s modification of Glauert‟s correction for
the turbulent wake state [12]
 Reynolds number drag correction after
Hernandez and Crespo [13]
Despite the rather simplified approach to model a
wind turbine the BEM is the most widely used
simulation method in the industry. Almost all modern
HAWT rotors, that exist today, were designed using a Fig.8. QBlade BEM Module: torque comparison with
BEM based method. The reasons are the BEM WT_Perf and experimental data, from [1]
algorithms robustness, its computational efficiency and
the long-term experience that exists with this method
and its results.

3.2 Double Multiple Streamtube Method

The aerodynamic simulation module for a VAWT in
QBlade [14] is based on the DMS algorithm as
developed by Paraschivoiu [15]. The same as the BEM
method the DMS algorithm also combines the blade
forces with a momentum balance. Because the airflow
passes the rotor one time in the upwind half and one
time in the downwind half of rotation, a VAWT can be
idealized as two HAWTs in a row. Furthermore the AoA,
between rotor blade and relative velocity, now also
depends on the circumferential angle, or the blades
current position, during a rotation. Therefore the DMS
can be seen as a slightly extended version of the BEM
algorithm. Numerous empirical corrections for dynamic
stall effects or the influence of struts and the tower
exists. Also, more sophisticated model formulations Fig.9. QBlade DMS Module: power comparison with
that take into account streamtube expansion are measured and simulated data, from [14]
available in the literature. In the present version of the
software only an optional correction for tip loss and 5. APPLICATION
finite aspect ratio effects and optional variable The software QBlade has been applied by many
interference factors are implemented in QBlade. researchers for different projects. Pechlivanoglou [19]
used QBlade to project the lift increase of a leading edge
4. VALIDATION slat measured in a wind tunnel to the increase in annual
The BEM algorithm of QBlade has been validated energy production of a 1.5MW turbine. Soland [16]
against experimental data (Fig.8.) [1]. The community performed an analysis of outer blade sections, under the
of users compared it with different established and influence of surface roughness, for a virtual 7.0MW
commercial BEM tools, such as Flex5 [16] by DTU and wind turbine. Weinzierl [20] extended QBlades
the GL certified WT_Perf [17] from NWTC. The functionality to enable parametric investigations of an
comparisons show good agreement between the active controlled trailing edge flap for load alleviation
different codes and evaluation with experimental data is on wind turbines. Mueller-Vahl [21] applied the QBlade
also promising. To validate the recently integrated DMS software to predict the potential for a performance
algorithm, the predicted performance of the Sandia 17m increase through vortex generators installed on the
turbine [18] was compared to measured and simulated blade of a HAWT using experimental polar data
performance data from the CARDAA [14] code. The measured at the TU Berlin wind tunnel. Furthermore
comparison shows good agreement between the two many universities and educational institutes have
similar codes and the measured data. All other resulting included QBlade in their wind turbine lectures as an
simulation variables were compared to published [14] intuitive tool to investigate the fundamentals of wind
CARDAA results and show similar distributions. turbine aerodynamics.

© IJETAE2013 267 ICERTSD2013-08-180

 Int. J Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 3, Special Issue 3: ICERTSD 2013, Feb 2013, pages 264-269

6. CONCLUSION / OUTLOOK 6. Montgomerie, B., 2004, “Methods for root effects,

The integration of robust and accurate wind turbine tip effects and extending the angle of attack range
simulation algorithms with rotor blade design tools and to +-100°, with application to aerodynamics for
the functionality of XFOIL in a graphical user interface blades on wind turbines and propellers”, Scientific
was successful and results in a very capable and Report, FOI-R-1035-SE, Sweden
accessible tool for wind turbine design. The free 7. Gasch, R., Twele, J., 2007, Windkraftanlagen
distribution of QBlade leads to a broad application and Grundlagen, Entwurf Planung und Betrieb,
thorough validation of the software by the research Teubner, Wiesbaden, Germany, pp. 202
community. The modular, object-oriented programming 8. Reis, G.E., Blackwell, B.F., 1975, “Practical
approach renders the tool an ideal platform for future approximations to a Troposkien by straight line and
implementations and extensions of its functionality. In circular arc segments”, Technical Report
the near future it is planned to extend the range of SAND74-0100, Sandia Laboratories
functions to unsteady wind turbine simulations and the 9. Hansen, M.O.L., 2008, Aerodynamics of Wind
generation of non uniform wind fields as input data. Turbines, Earthscan, London, UK
Subsequently, the open source structural wind turbine
simulation code FAST [22] from NWTC will be 10. Shen, W.Z., Mikkelsen, R., Sorensen, J.N., 2005,
coupled with the aerodynamic simulation to yield an “Tip loss corrections for wind turbine
aero-elastic simulation tool. Furthermore, a genetic computations”, Wind Energy 2005
algorithm will be included to exploit the combination of 11. Snel, H., Schepers, J.G., 1995, „Joint investigation
parametric airfoil design and wind turbine simulation to of dynamic inflow effects and implementation of
generate blade shapes that maximize annual energy an engineering method”, Technical Report
production for specific wind sites. In its current state the ECN-C-94-107, ECN Wind Energy
software is available for various operating systems. 12. Buhl, M.L., 2005, “A new empirical relationship
Software and source code can be downloaded on: between thrust coefficient and induction factor for
sourceforge.net/projects/qblade/. the turbulent windmill state”, Technical Report
Fig.10. QBlades webpage is found at: NREL/TP-500-36834, NREL
qblade.fd.tu-berlin.de 13. Hernandez, J., Crespo, A., 1987, “Aerodynamics
Calculation of the Performance of Horizontal Axis
Wind Turbines and Comparison with Experimental
Results”, Wind Engineering, 11(4), pp. 177-187
14. Wendler, J., 2012, “Erweiterung einer
Simulationssoftware um Module zur aero-
dynamischen Auslegung und Leistungsberechnung
vertikalachsiger Windenergieanlagen”, Bachelor
Thesis, TU Berlin, Germany
15. Paraschivoiu, I., 2002, „Wind Turbine Design –
With Emphasis on Darrieus Concept”, Presses
Internationales Polytechnique
16. Soland, T.H., 2012, “Investigations of different
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 Int. J Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
ISSN 2250-2459, Volume 3, Special Issue 3: ICERTSD 2013, Feb 2013, pages 264-269

21. Mueller-Vahl, Pechlivanoglou, G., Nayeri, C.N., AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

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NOMENCLATURE power potential, aerodynamics of buildings and software
development.
Symbol
c chord (m)
r radius (m)
R rotor blade length (m)
B blade number
CL lift coefficient
0 Design tip speed ratio
 Angle of attack
Abbreviations
HAWT horizontal axis wind turbine
VAVT vertical axis wind turbine
TSR tip speed ratio
DMS double multiple streamtube
BEM blade element momentum method
CFD computational fluid mechanics
AoA angle of attack

© IJETAE2013 269 ICERTSD2013-08-180