Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic analysis of a large-scale vertical axis wind turbine. Issue 2 (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hand, Brian
• Is Part Of: Wind engineering. Volume 46:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 572
• Page End: 597
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Wind energy -- vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) -- computational fluid dynamics -- aerodynamics -- dynamic stall; Wind-pressure -- Periodicals; Winds -- Periodicals; Wind power -- Periodicals; Engineering meteorology -- Periodicals; Pression du vent; Vents; Énergie éolienne; Météorologie appliquée; Engineering meteorology; Wind power; Wind-pressure; Winds; Periodicals; 621.4505
• DOI: 10.1177/0309524X211037911
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0309-524X

Abstract

The vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) configuration has many advantages for an offshore wind turbine Installation. In this paper, the three dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics analysis of a large-scale 5 MW VAWT is conducted. At the optimum tip-speed ratio (TSR), the VAWT maximum inline force was 75% larger than the maximum lateral force. It was found the dynamic stall effects cause the VAWT flow field to become increasingly asymmetrical at the mid-span plane, when the TSR is reduced. The attachment of end plates to the blade tips, resulted in a performance improvement during the upwind phase with the average blade torque coefficient in this range being increased by 4.71%. Conversely, during the blade downwind phase a reduction in performance was found due to the increase in drag from the end plates and the average blade torque coefficient in this phase was reduced by 23.1%.