At a certain location, wind is blowing steadily at 10 m/s. Determine the mechanical energy of air per unit mass and the power generation potential of a wind turbine with 60-m-diameter blades at that location. Take the air density to be 1.25 kg/m3. Cengel, Yunus; Cengel, Yunus. Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach (p. 98). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Kindle Edition.

1767Kw

Explanation:

Velocity of wind = 10 m/s

diameter of the blades= 60m

ρ= air density = 1.25 kg/m3

Acceleration due to gravity= 9.81 m/s^2

Mechanical energy of the wind can be calculated using the expression below

Energy= (e*m)

= ρ V A eeqn(1)

Where A= area

ρ= air density

e= wind energy per unit mass of air

e= (v^2)/2eqn(2)

If we substitute the values into eqn (2) we have

e= [(10)^2]/2

=50J/Kg

But Area=A= (πd^2)/4

Area= ( π× 60^2)/4

Area=2827.8m^2

If we input substitute the values into eqn (1) we have

Energy= 1.25 ×10 × 50×2827.8

=1767145.7W

We can convert to kilo watt

=1767145.7W/ 1000

= 1767Kw

Hence, the mechanical energy of air per unit mass and the power generation potential of a wind turbine is 1767Kw

the maxium height is 34m/s