Numerical Investigation of the Tip Vortex of a Straight-Bladed Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Double-Blades

Yanzhao Yang, Zhiping Guo, Yanfeng Zhang, Ho Jinyama and Qingan Li
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Yanzhao Yang: College of Mechanical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Zhiping Guo: College of Mechanical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Yanfeng Zhang: College of Mechanical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Ho Jinyama: Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan
Qingan Li: Division of Mechanical Engineering, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: Wind velocity distribution and the vortex around the wind turbine present a significant challenge in the development of straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). This paper is intended to investigate influence of tip vortex on wind turbine wake by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. In this study, the number of blades is two and the airfoil is a NACA0021 with chord length of c = 0.265 m. To capture the tip vortex characteristics, the velocity fields are investigated by the Q -criterion iso-surface ( Q = 100) with shear-stress transport (SST) k-? turbulence model at different tip speed ratios (TSRs). Then, mean velocity, velocity deficit and torque coefficient acting on the blade in the different spanwise positions are compared. The wind velocities obtained by CFD simulations are also compared with the experimental data from wind tunnel experiments. As a result, we can state that the wind velocity curves calculated by CFD simulations are consistent with Laser Doppler Velocity (LDV) measurements. The distribution of the vortex structure along the spanwise direction is more complex at a lower TSR and the tip vortex has a longer dissipation distance at a high TSR. In addition, the mean wind velocity shows a large value near the blade tip and a small value near the blade due to the vortex effect.

Keywords: wind energy; vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT); flow field; tip vortex; wind velocity deficit; torque coefficient (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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