Optimization of Hydrokinetic Swept Blades

The hydrokinetic turbine is used worldwide for electrical generation purposes, as such a technology may strongly reduce environmental impact. Turbines designed using backward swept blades can significantly the axial load, being relevant hydro turbines. However, few works have been conducted in literature this regard. For case of rotors, are still challenge, authors unaware any optimization procedures available, making paper current state art. Thus, present work develops new procedure applied to blades, with main objective design reduced load on rotor and possibly reduction cavitation. proposed method consists an extension blade element momentum theory (BEMT) through radial transformation function. has low computational cost easy implementation. Once it based BEMT, presents good agreement when compared experimental data. As result, sweep heavily affects chord twist angle distributions along blade, increasing torque power coefficient. In torque, be increased by about 18%. Additionally, even though bound circulation demonstrates strong change Prandtl’s tip loss seems not sensitive effect, alternative models needed.