G The electric power needs of a community are to be met by windmills with 40-m-diameter rotors. The windmills are to be located where the wind is blowing steadily at an average velocity of 6 m/s. Determine the minimum number of windmills that need to be installed if the required power output is 2100 kW. The gas constant of air is 0.287 kPa·m3/kg·K.

Explanation:

Given Data

The diameter of the wind mills is d = 40m

Velocity of the air is V = 6 m / s

Required power output is:  P ₀ = 2100 k W

Expression to calculate the exergy of the air is

E = V ² / 2

Substitute the value in above expression

E = ( 6 m / s ) ² / 2

E = 18 m ² / s ² x (1kJ/kg / 1000m²/s²)

E = 0.018 k J / k g

Expression to calculate the density of the air is

P v =m R T

m /v = P  /RT ⋯ ⋯( I )

Here  

m  is the mass of the air,  

v  is the volume of the air,  

P  is the atmospheric pressure,  

T  is the standard temperature at the atmospheric pressure and  

R  is the gas constant

As the density is

ρ = m /V

Substitute the value in expression (I)

ρ = 101  kP a /( 0.287 k J / k g ⋅ K ) ( 298 K )

ρ = 1.180 k g / m ²

Expression to calculate the mass flow rate is

m = ρ A V ⋯ ⋯ ( I I )

Here  A  is the area of the windmill

Expression to calculate the  A  is

A = π /4  d ²

Substitute the value in above expression

A = π /4 ( 40 m ²)

A = 1256.63 m ²

Substitute the value in expression (II)

m = ( 1.180 k g / m ³) ( 1256.63 m ²) ( 6 m / s )

m = 8896.94  k g / s

Expression to calculate the maximum power available to the windmill is

P w = m ( V ² /2 )

Substitute the value in above expression

P w = 8896.94  k g / s ( (6m/s)²/2 )

P w = 160144.92 W  × ( 1 W /1000 k W )

P w = 160.144 k W

Expression to calculate the number of windmills required is

n = P o /P w

Substitute the value in above expression

n=2100kw/160.144kw

n=13.11