• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.11-16
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• 2007

This paper describes the cycloidal wind turbine, which is a straight blade vertical axis wind turbine using the cycloidal blade system. Cycloidal blade system consists of several blades rotating about an axis in parallel direction. Each blade changes its pitch angle periodically. Cycloidal wind turbine is different from the previous turbines. The wind turbine operates with optimum rotating forces through active control of the blade to change pitch angle and phase angle according to the changes of wind direction and wind speed. Various numerical experiments were conducted to develop a small vertical axis wind turbine of 1 kW class. For this numerical analysis, the rotor system equips four blades consisting of a symmetric airfoil NACA0018 of 1.0m in span, 0.22m in chord and 1.0m in radius. A general purpose commercial CFD program, STAR-CD, was used for numerical analysis. PCL of MSC/PATRAN was used for efficient parametric auto mesh generation. Variables of wind speed, pitch angle, phase angle and rotating speed were set in the numerical experiments. The generated power was obtained according to the various combinations of these variables. Optimal pitch angle and phase angle of cycloidal blade system were obtained according to the change of the wind direction and the wind speed. Based on data obtained from the above analysis, control device was designed. The wind direction and the wind speed were sensed by a wind indicator and an anemometer. Each blades were actuated to optimal performance values by servo motors.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2008

This paper describes aerodynamic performance enhancement of cycloidal rotor according to the blade pivot point movement and the blade preset angle adjustment. Cycloidal blade system which consists of several blades rotating about an axis in parallel direction and changing its pitch angle periodically, is a propulsion mechanism of a new concept vertical take off and landing aircraft, cyclocopter. Based on the designed geometry of cyclocopter, numerical analysis was carried out by a general purpose commercial CFD program, STAR-CD. According to tills analysis, the efficiency of cycloidal rotor could be improved more than 15% by the introduced methods.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.354-359
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• 2011

This study proposes a design for an airborne wind turbine generator. The proposed system comprises a cycloidal wind turbine adopting a cycloidal rotor blade system that is used at a high altitude. The turbine is mounted on a tethered balloon. The proposed system is relatively easier to be realized and stable. Moreover, the rotor efficiency is high, which can be adjusted using the blade pitch angle variation. In addition, the rotor is well adapted to the wind-flow direction change. This article proves the feasibility of the proposed system through a sample design for a wind turbine that produces a power of 30 kW. The generated wind power at 500 m height is nearly 3 times of that on the ground.

• Composites Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.52-58
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• 2005

A cyclocopter propelled by the cycloidal blade system, which can be described as a horizontal rotary wing, is a new concept of VTOL vehicle. In this paper, optimized structure design is carried out for the aerodynamically optimized cyclocopter rotor system. Database is obtained fer design variables such as stacking sequence (ply angles), number of plies and spar locations through MSC/NASTRAN and optimum values are determined by RSM and some other optimizing processes. For the rotor system including optimized blade and composite hub m, the maximum stress by static analysis is within the failure criteria. And the rotor system is designed for the purpose of avoiding possible dynamic instabilities by inconsistency between frequencies of rotor rotation and some low natural frequencies of rotor.