Towing Test Data Set of the Kyushu University Kite System

Abstract

Kites can be used to harvest wind energy with substantially lower material and environmental footprints and a higher capacity factor than conventional wind turbines. In this paper, we present measurement data from seven individual tow tests with the kite system developed by Kyushu University. This system was designed for 7 kW traction power and comprises an inflatable wing of 6 m2 surface area with a suspended kite control unit that is towed on a relatively short tether of 0.4 m by a truck driving at constant speed along a straight runway. To produce a controlled relative flow environment, the experiment was conducted only when the background wind speed was negligible. We recorded the time-series of 11 different sensor values acquired on the kite, the control unit and the truck. The measured data can be used to assess the effects of the towing speed, the flight mode and the lengths of the control lines on the tether force.

Keywords

• airborne wind energy
• kite system
• kite power
• tether force
• towing test