DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10619556
title: A database of detailed aerodynamic measurements on wind turbines, generated in TCP Wind IEA Task 14 and IEA Task 18

description: Here data are uploaded which result from IEA Annex (nowadays called IEA Tasks) 14 ’Field Rotor Aerodynamics’ and its successor IEA Annex 18 ’Enhanced Field Rotor Aerodynamics Database’. In these Tasks, under the auspices of IEA TCP Wind, 7 organizations from 6 different countries collaborated in performing aerodynamic experimental programs on full scale horizontal axis wind turbines at field conditions.

The measurements were carried out in the 1990’s. Still they are very unique since pressure distributions (from which local aerodynamic forces normal and tangential to the chord are derived) are measured at several locations along a wind turbine blade. Often also local velocities (very close to the blade) are measured. The data are complemented with meteorological measurements some distance away from the turbine where usually blade root bending moments and power are also measured.

The fact that since the beginning of this millenium very little measurements of local aerodynamic loads on windturbines in the field have been taken in public domain (a well known exception is the DanAero experiment) makes these data still unique

The following organisations cooperated in the projects:



The Energy Research Center of the Netherlands, ECN, Netherlands (Now TNO): The ECN experiments were carried out on a 2 bladed, 27.4 m diameter turbine. The blades were twisted and tapered;

Technical University of Delft, TUDelft Netherlands: The TUDelft experiments were carried out on a 2 bladed, 10 m diameter turbine. The blades were untwisted and untapered;

Imperial College, IC and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, RAL, United Kingdom: The IC/RAL experiments were carried out on a 3 bladed, 16.9 m diameter turbine. The blades were twisted and tapered;

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL, USA: The NREL experiments were carried out on a 3 bladed, 10 m diameter  downwind turbine. Measurements on two types of blades (an untwisted and untapered blade and a similar blade but with twist) have been supplied

Mie University  Japan: The Mie experiments were carried out on a 3 bladed, 10 m  diameter turbine. The blades wre twisted and tapered;

RISO National Laboratory, Denmark (Now DTU): The RISO experiments were carried out on a 3 bladed, 19 m  diameter turbine. The blades are twisted and tapered. Note that in these experiments the local aerodynamic loads were measured directly, not through pressure distributions.


After completion of IEA Task 18 the data were made available to third parties through a CD-ROM. The content of this CD-ROM is now copied on this Zenodo location to assure easy and long lasting access. Thereto all data are zipped in the following structure:



The main directory gives an introduction to the data files in Some explanation on the IEA Task 14 18 database (1).pdf. Although some of the information in this document is outdated it is still expected to be a good starting point for understanding the content of the database. 

The directory Reporting_of_database contains the final report of the project Final report of IEA Task 18.pdf with all the information needed to understand the background of the measurements. Some later updates are uploaded in directory Some_later_updates_with_relatively_minor_corrections and some additional figures are given in missing_figures_IEA18_report.pdf

The measurements in itself are given in Task_18_database with separate directories for each facility

Some old (probably not working anymore) selection programs are given in utils.zipSince the CD-ROM has been supplied to tens of users which all mentioned the information to be self-explanatory it is expected that present users also can find their way with the above given information.  


Good luck! Any feedback is appreciated. Please send it to Gerard.schepers@tno.nl