scholarly journals Numerical Analysis of Design Parameters With Strong Influence on the Aerodynamic Efficiency of a Small-Scale Self-Pitch VAWT

Author(s):  
Carlos Xisto ◽  
José Páscoa ◽  
Michele Trancossi

In the paper, four key design parameters with a strong influence on the performance of a small-scale high solidity variable pitch VAWT (Vertical Axis Wind Turbine), operating at low tip-speed-ratio (TSR) are addressed. To this aim a numerical approach, based on a finite-volume discretization of two-dimensional Unsteady RANS equations on a multiple sliding mesh, is proposed and validated against experimental data. The self-pitch VAWT design is based on a straight blade Darrieus wind turbine with blades that are allowed to pitch around a feathering axis, which is also parallel to the axis of rotation. The pitch angle amplitude and periodic variation are dynamically controlled by a four-bar-linkage system. We only consider the efficiency at low and intermediate TSR, therefore the pitch amplitude is chosen to be a sinusoidal function with a considerable amplitude. The results of this parametric analysis will contribute to define the guidelines for building a full size prototype of a small scale turbine of increased efficiency.

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos M. Xisto ◽  
José C. Páscoa ◽  
Michele Trancossi

In this paper, four key design parameters with a strong influence on the performance of a high-solidity variable pitch vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) operating at low tip-speed-ratio (TSR) are addressed. To this aim, a numerical approach, based on a finite-volume discretization of two-dimensional (2D) unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations, on a multiple sliding mesh, is proposed and validated against experimental data. The self-pitch VAWT design is based on a straight-blade Darrieus wind turbine with blades that are allowed to pitch around a feathering axis, which is also parallel to the axis of rotation. The pitch angle amplitude and periodic variation are dynamically controlled by a four-bar linkage system. We only consider the efficiency at low and intermediate TSR; therefore, the pitch amplitude is chosen to be a sinusoidal function with a considerable amplitude. The results of this parametric analysis will contribute to define the guidelines for building a full-size prototype of a small-scale wind turbine of increased efficiency.


2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Rogowski ◽  
Ryszard Maroński ◽  
Janusz Piechna

AbstractSmall-scale vertical-axis wind turbines can be used as a source of electricity in rural and urban environments. According to the authors’ knowledge, there are no validated simplified aerodynamic models of these wind turbines, therefore the use of more advanced techniques, such as for example the computational methods for fluid dynamics is justified. The paper contains performance analysis of the small-scale vertical-axis wind turbine with a large solidity. The averaged velocity field and the averaged static pressure distribution around the rotor have been also analyzed. All numerical results presented in this paper are obtained using the SST k-ω turbulence model. Computed power coeffcients are in good agreement with the experimental results. A small change in the tip speed ratio significantly affects the velocity field. Obtained velocity fields can be further used as a base for simplified aerodynamic methods.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 833-839
Author(s):  
Muhamad Fadhli Ramlee ◽  
Ahmad Fazlizan ◽  
Sohif Mat

Among renewable energy resources, wind energy is one of the best alternative for power generation. Recently, vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) received renewed interest as small-scale wind energy converter due to its suitability for urban application, where the wind condition is known to be unsteady and turbulence. Amongst various type of VAWTs, H-type Darrieus rotor has become more popular, thanks to its simple construction features, resulting to low manufacturing and installation cost. The aim of this paper is to evaluate numerically the power performance of straight-bladed Darrieus VAWT with different turbine solidity using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technology. A series of two-dimensional CFD simulations of a three-bladed H-type Darrieus rotor were performed with 3 different solidities, σ (0.3, 0.5 and 0.7) to evaluate their power performance. Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations were used to calculate the instantaneous moment coefficient, Cm and power coefficient, Cp over a range of tip speed ratio, λ (0.5–4.5) with a free stream velocity of 8.0 m/s. The simulation results show that high solidity turbine performed well at low values of λ while turbine with low solidity has a wider operating range of λ and performed better at λ > 3.0 due to less blade-wake interactions between upstream and downstream halves of the turbine and lower blockage effect. The findings lend substantially to our understanding of physics flow around blades and turbine in order to optimize the power performance of small scale straight-bladed Darrieus VAWT operating in unsteady and turbulence wind condition.


Author(s):  
Nicoletta Franchina ◽  
Otman Kouaissah ◽  
Giacomo Persico ◽  
Marco Savini

The paper presents the results of a computational study on the aerodynamics and the performance of a small-scale Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) for distributed micro-generation. The complexity of VAWT aerodynamics, which are inherently unsteady and three-dimensional, makes high-fidelity flow models extremely demanding in terms of computational cost, limiting the analysis to mainly 2D or 2.5D Computational Fluid-Dynamics (CFD) approaches. This paper discusses how a proper setting of the computational model opens the way for carrying out fully 3D unsteady CFD simulations of a VAWT. Key aspects of the flow model and of the numerical solution are discussed, in view of limiting the computational cost while maintaining the reliability of the predictions. A set of operating conditions is considered, in terms of tip-speed-ratio (TSR), covering both peak efficiency condition as well as off-design operation. The fidelity of the numerical predictions is assessed via a systematic comparison with the experimental benchmark data available for this turbine, consisting of both performance and wake measurements carried out in the large-scale wind tunnel of the Politecnico di Milano. The analysis of the flow field on the equatorial plane allows highlighting its time-dependent evolution, with the aim of identifying both the periodic flow structures and the onset of dynamic stall. The full three-dimensional character of the computations allows investigating the aerodynamics of the struts and the evolution of the trailing vorticity at the tip of the blades, eventually resulting in periodic large-scale vortices.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0309524X2110039
Author(s):  
Amgad Dessoky ◽  
Thorsten Lutz ◽  
Ewald Krämer

The present paper investigates the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of the H-rotor Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) combined with very promising energy conversion and steering technology; a fixed guide-vanes. The main scope of the current work is to enhance the aerodynamic performance and assess the noise production accomplished with such enhancement. The studies are carried out in two phases; the first phase is a parametric 2D CFD simulation employing the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) approach to optimize the design parameters of the guide-vanes. The second phase is a 3D CFD simulation of the full turbine using a higher-order numerical scheme and a hybrid RANS/LES (DDES) method. The guide-vanes show a superior power augmentation, about 42% increase in the power coefficient at λ = 2.75, with a slightly noisy operation and completely change the signal directivity. A remarkable difference in power coefficient is observed between 2D and 3D models at the high-speed ratios stems from the 3D effect. As a result, a 3D simulation of the capped Darrieus turbine is carried out, and then a noise assessment of such configuration is assessed. The results show a 20% increase in power coefficient by using the cap, without significant change in the noise signal.


2012 ◽  
Vol 189 ◽  
pp. 448-452
Author(s):  
Yan Jun Chen ◽  
Guo Qing Wu ◽  
Yang Cao ◽  
Dian Gui Huang ◽  
Qin Wang ◽  
...  

Numerical studies are conducted to research the performance of a kind of lift-drag type vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) affected by solidity with the CFD method. Moving mesh technique is used to construct the model. The Spalart-Allmaras one equation turbulent model and the implicit coupled algorithm based on pressure are selected to solve the transient equations. In this research, how the tip speed ratio and the solidity of blade affect the power coefficient (Cp) of the small H-VAWT is analyzed. The results indicate that Cp curves exhibit approximate parabolic form with its maximum in the middle range of tip speed ratio. The two-blade wind turbine has the lowest Cp while the three-blade one is more powerful and the four-blade one brings the highest power. With the certain number of blades, there is a best chord length, and too long or too short chord length may reduce the Cp.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 1033
Author(s):  
Jia Guo ◽  
Timing Qu ◽  
Liping Lei

Pitch regulation plays a significant role in improving power performance and achieving output control in wind turbines. The present study focuses on a novel, pitch-regulated vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) with inclined pitch axes. The effect of two pitch parameters (the fold angle and the incline angle) on the instantaneous aerodynamic forces and overall performance of a straight-bladed VAWT under a tip-speed ratio of 4 is investigated using an actuator line model, achieved in ANSYS Fluent software and validated by previous experimental results. The results demonstrate that the fold angle has an apparent influence on the angles of attack and forces of the blades, as well as the power output of the wind turbine. It is helpful to further study the dynamic pitch regulation and adaptable passive pitch regulation of VAWTs. Incline angles away from 90° lead to the asymmetric distribution of aerodynamic forces along the blade span, which results in an expected reduction of loads on the main shaft and the tower of VAWTs.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hashwini Lalchand Thadani ◽  
Fadia Dyni Zaaba ◽  
Muhammad Raimi Mohammad Shahrizal ◽  
Arjun Singh Jaj A. Jaspal Singh Jaj ◽  
Yun Ii Go

PurposeThis paper aims to design an optimum vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) and assess its techno-economic performance for wind energy harvesting at high-speed railway in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThis project adopted AutoCAD and ANSYS modeling tools to design and optimize the blade of the turbine. The site selected has a railway of 30 km with six stops. The vertical turbines are placed 1 m apart from each other considering the optimum tip speed ratio. The power produced and net present value had been analyzed to evaluate its techno-economic viability.FindingsComputational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) 0020 blade has been carried out. For a turbine with wind speed of 50 m/s and swept area of 8 m2, the power generated is 245 kW. For eight trains that operate for 19 h/day with an interval of 30 min in nonpeak hours and 15 min in peak hours, total energy generated is 66 MWh/day. The average cost saved by the train stations is RM 16.7 mil/year with battery charging capacity of 12 h/day.Originality/valueWind energy harvesting is not commonly used in Malaysia due to its low wind speed ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 m/s. Conventional wind turbine requires a minimum cut-in wind speed of 11 m/s to overcome the inertia and starts generating power. Hence, this paper proposes an optimum design of VAWT to harvest an unconventional untapped wind sources from railway. The research finding complements the alternate energy harvesting technologies which can serve as reference for countries which experienced similar geographic constraints.


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