A parameter study of leading edge protection in a wind tunnel

This paper describes the influence of leading edge protection (LEP) on the aerodynamic performance of an airfoil based on wind tunnel tests of a NACA 633 − 418 airfoil. Measurements were carried out at a Reynolds number of Re = 5 million representing modern wind turbines. Different configurations of LEP were tested to carry out a parameter study. The parameters were the width and the height of the LEP but also the chamfer at the trailing edge of the LEP. It was seen how the aerodynamic performance was decreasing as the position of the trailing edge of the LEP was moving towards the leading edge of the airfoil. Also, if the LEP had a constant thickness it was seen that the aerodynamic losses would be smaller, the thinner the LEP was. Further to this, tests with in-build chamfer in the LEP indicated that it was the thickness of the trailing edge of the LEP together with the width of the LEP that determined the loss in aerodynamic performance.