| Coefficient of Power | |
The coefficient of power, often abbreviated as Cp, is a dimensionless number indicating the proportion of the energy in the wind that a turbine converts to electrical energy. It is equal to the quantity of electrical power produced by a wind turbine divided by the power of the wind passing through the rotor disk. Windographer calculates the coefficient of power using the following equation:
where: | ||
| P | is the electrical power produced by the wind turbine [W] | |
| r | is the air density [kg/m3] | |
| A | is the swept area of the wind turbine rotor [m2] | |
| U | is the wind speed [m/s] |
Betz (1966) showed that the coefficient of power cannot exceed 16/27 or approximately 0.59, a value known as the Betz limit.
Windographer displays the coefficient of power in the power curve graph that appears in the Wind Turbine Properties window:
See also
Wind Turbine Properties window