Three-Dimensional Aerodynamics and Vortex-Shedding Characteristics of Wind Turbine Airfoils over 360-Degree Angles of Attack

Shreyas Bidadi (), Ganesh Vijayakumar, Georgios Deskos and Michael Sprague
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Shreyas Bidadi: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Ganesh Vijayakumar: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Georgios Deskos: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Michael Sprague: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401, USA

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-24

Abstract: In this work, we present the first three-dimensional (3D) computational investigation of wind turbine airfoils over 360 ° angles of attack to predict unsteady aerodynamic loads and vortex-shedding characteristics. To this end, static–airfoil simulations are performed for the FFA-W3 airfoil family at a Reynolds number of 10 7 with the Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation turbulence model. Aerodynamic forces reveal that the onset of boundary-layer instabilities and flow separation does not necessarily coincide with the onset of stall. In addition, a comparison with two-dimensional simulation data and flat plate theory extension of airfoil polars, suggest that, in the deep stall regime, 3D effects remain critical for predicting both the unsteady loads and the vortex-shedding dynamics. For all airfoils, the vortex-shedding frequencies are found to be inversely proportional to the wake width. In the case of slender airfoils, the frequencies are nearly independent of the airfoil thickness, and their corresponding Strouhal number S t is approximately 0.15 . Based on the calculated S t , the potential for shedding frequencies to coincide with the natural frequencies of the International Energy Agency 15 MW reference wind turbine blades is investigated. The analysis shows that vortex-induced vibrations occur primarily at angles of attack of around ± 90 ° for all airfoils.

Keywords: wind turbine; FFA-W3 airfoil; Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES); vortex-shedding frequency; Strouhal number (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: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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