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RANS and Hybrid RANS-LES Simulations of an H-Type Darrieus Vertical Axis Water Turbine

Author

Listed:
  • Omar D. Lopez Mejia

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá 111711, Colombia)

  • Jhon J. Quiñones

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá 111711, Colombia)

  • Santiago Laín

    (PAI+ Group, Department of Energetics and Mechanics, Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Cali 760030 Colombia)

Abstract

Nowadays, the global energy crisis has encouraged the use of alternative sources like the energy available in the water currents of seas and rivers. The vertical axis water turbine (VAWT) is an interesting option to harness this energy due to its advantages of facile installation, maintenance and operation. However, it is known that its efficiency is lower than that of other types of turbines due to the unsteady effects present in its flow physics. This work aims to analyse through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) the turbulent flow dynamics around a small scale VAWT confined in a hydrodynamic tunnel. The simulations were developed using the Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS), Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) and Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (DDES) turbulence models, all of them based on k - ω Shear Stress Transport (SST). The results and analysis of the simulations are presented, illustrating the influence of the tip speed ratio. The numerical results of the URANS model show a similar behaviour with respect to the experimental power curve of the turbine using a lower number of elements than those used in the DES and DDES models. Finally, with the help of both the Q-criterion and field contours it is observed that the refinements made in the mesh adaptation process for the DES and DDES models improve the identification of the scales of the vorticity structures and the flow phenomena present on the near and far wake of the turbine.

Suggested Citation

  • Omar D. Lopez Mejia & Jhon J. Quiñones & Santiago Laín, 2018. "RANS and Hybrid RANS-LES Simulations of an H-Type Darrieus Vertical Axis Water Turbine," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:9:p:2348-:d:168053
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maître, T. & Amet, E. & Pellone, C., 2013. "Modeling of the flow in a Darrieus water turbine: Wall grid refinement analysis and comparison with experiments," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 497-512.
    2. Antheaume, Sylvain & Maître, Thierry & Achard, Jean-Luc, 2008. "Hydraulic Darrieus turbines efficiency for free fluid flow conditions versus power farms conditions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 2186-2198.
    3. Marsh, Philip & Ranmuthugala, Dev & Penesis, Irene & Thomas, Giles, 2015. "Three-dimensional numerical simulations of straight-bladed vertical axis tidal turbines investigating power output, torque ripple and mounting forces," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 67-77.
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