Abstract: An 1.5 MW variable-pitch variable-speed three-blade horizontal-axiswind turbine was taken as research object. The similarities and differences of its aerodynamic performance were investigated under the three kinds of inflows and the effect of a typical low-level jet on its aerodynamic performance was studied emphatically. The results showed that the power and thrust of the rotor under low-level jet are larger than those under the uniform flow and the flow with wind shear. Surface pressure of the blade under low-level jetis generally larger than those of the other two inflows and there is a more noticeable flash-down zone of pressureon the section side of airfoil in the middle section due to jet attenuation.Under the condition of low-level jet, the normal and tangential force coefficients of the blade are generally larger than ones underthe other two inflows. The attack angles of each airfoil section under low-level jet are larger than ones unders shear flow by 0.05%~36.66%, the stall region on the blade surface are larger than those under other inflows, especially near blade root, the separation line moves close to the leading edge, and the separation vortexes on airfoil sections due to jet attenuation are more obvious. The study of effects of different kinds of low-level jets on aerodynamic performance of horizontal-axis wind turbine will be done in the future.

Key words: horizontal-axis wind turbine, low-level jet, aerodynamic performance, CFD