IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i4p776-d319130.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Aerodynamic Analysis of a Two-Bladed Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Using a Coupled Unsteady RANS and Actuator Line Model

Author

Listed:
  • Ruiwen Zhao

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK)

  • Angus C. W. Creech

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK)

  • Alistair G. L. Borthwick

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK)

  • Vengatesan Venugopal

    (Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK)

  • Takafumi Nishino

    (Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK)

Abstract

Close-packed contra-rotating vertical-axis turbines have potential advantages in wind and hydrokinetic power generation. This paper describes the development of a numerical model of a vertical axis turbine with a torque-controlled system using an actuator line model (ALM). The developed model, coupled with the open-source OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, is used to examine the characteristics of turbulent flow behind a single two-bladed vertical-axis turbine (VAT). The flow field containing the turbine is simulated by solving the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations with a k - ω shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model. The numerical model is validated against experimental measurements from a two-bladed H-type wind turbine. Turbine loading is predicted, and the vorticity distribution is investigated in the vicinity of the turbine. Satisfactory overall agreement is obtained between numerical predictions and measured data on thrust coefficients. The model captures important three-dimensional flow features that contribute to wake recovery behind a vertical-axis turbine, which will be useful for future studies of close-packed rotors with a large number of blades.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruiwen Zhao & Angus C. W. Creech & Alistair G. L. Borthwick & Vengatesan Venugopal & Takafumi Nishino, 2020. "Aerodynamic Analysis of a Two-Bladed Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Using a Coupled Unsteady RANS and Actuator Line Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-26, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:4:p:776-:d:319130
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/4/776/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/4/776/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Subramanian, Abhishek & Yogesh, S. Arun & Sivanandan, Hrishikesh & Giri, Abhijit & Vasudevan, Madhavan & Mugundhan, Vivek & Velamati, Ratna Kishore, 2017. "Effect of airfoil and solidity on performance of small scale vertical axis wind turbine using three dimensional CFD model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 179-190.
    2. Wong, Kok Hoe & Chong, Wen Tong & Sukiman, Nazatul Liana & Poh, Sin Chew & Shiah, Yui-Chuin & Wang, Chin-Tsan, 2017. "Performance enhancements on vertical axis wind turbines using flow augmentation systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 904-921.
    3. Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim & Kalkman, Ivo & Blocken, Bert, 2017. "Effect of pitch angle on power performance and aerodynamics of a vertical axis wind turbine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 132-150.
    4. Li, Chao & Xiao, Yiqing & Xu, You-lin & Peng, Yi-xin & Hu, Gang & Zhu, Songye, 2018. "Optimization of blade pitch in H-rotor vertical axis wind turbines through computational fluid dynamics simulations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1107-1125.
    5. Andrea Alaimo & Antonio Esposito & Antonio Messineo & Calogero Orlando & Davide Tumino, 2015. "3D CFD Analysis of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-21, April.
    6. Sina Shamsoddin & Fernando Porté-Agel, 2014. "Large Eddy Simulation of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Wakes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-23, February.
    7. Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim & Kalkman, Ivo & Blocken, Bert, 2017. "CFD simulation of a vertical axis wind turbine operating at a moderate tip speed ratio: Guidelines for minimum domain size and azimuthal increment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 373-385.
    8. Lucy Massie & Pablo Ouro & Thorsten Stoesser & Qianyu Luo, 2019. "An Actuator Surface Model to Simulate Vertical Axis Turbines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-16, December.
    9. Krogstad, Per-Åge & Eriksen, Pål Egil, 2013. "“Blind test” calculations of the performance and wake development for a model wind turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 325-333.
    10. Andrew Shires, 2013. "Development and Evaluation of an Aerodynamic Model for a Novel Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Concept," Energies, MDPI, vol. 6(5), pages 1-20, May.
    11. Hwang, In Seong & Lee, Yun Han & Kim, Seung Jo, 2009. "Optimization of cycloidal water turbine and the performance improvement by individual blade control," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(9), pages 1532-1540, September.
    12. Angus C. W. Creech & Alistair G. L. Borthwick & David Ingram, 2017. "Effects of Support Structures in an LES Actuator Line Model of a Tidal Turbine with Contra-Rotating Rotors," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-25, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ji Hao Zhang & Fue-Sang Lien & Eugene Yee, 2022. "Investigations of Vertical-Axis Wind-Turbine Group Synergy Using an Actuator Line Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Pierre-Luc Delafin & François Deniset & Jacques André Astolfi & Frédéric Hauville, 2021. "Performance Improvement of a Darrieus Tidal Turbine with Active Variable Pitch," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hand, Brian & Kelly, Ger & Cashman, Andrew, 2021. "Aerodynamic design and performance parameters of a lift-type vertical axis wind turbine: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    2. Thé, Jesse & Yu, Hesheng, 2017. "A critical review on the simulations of wind turbine aerodynamics focusing on hybrid RANS-LES methods," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 257-289.
    3. Barnes, Andrew & Marshall-Cross, Daniel & Hughes, Ben Richard, 2021. "Towards a standard approach for future Vertical Axis Wind Turbine aerodynamics research and development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    4. Ma, Ning & Lei, Hang & Han, Zhaolong & Zhou, Dai & Bao, Yan & Zhang, Kai & Zhou, Lei & Chen, Caiyong, 2018. "Airfoil optimization to improve power performance of a high-solidity vertical axis wind turbine at a moderate tip speed ratio," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 236-252.
    5. Antar, E. & Elkhoury, M., 2019. "Parametric sizing optimization process of a casing for a Savonius Vertical Axis Wind Turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 127-138.
    6. Elkhoury, M. & Kiwata, T. & Nagao, K. & Kono, T. & ElHajj, F., 2018. "Wind tunnel experiments and Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation of a three-bladed micro vertical axis wind turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(PA), pages 63-74.
    7. Singh, Enderaaj & Roy, Sukanta & Yam, Ke San & Law, Ming Chiat, 2023. "Numerical analysis of H-Darrieus vertical axis wind turbines with varying aspect ratios for exhaust energy extractions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    8. Cinzia Rainone & Danilo De Siero & Luigi Iuspa & Antonio Viviani & Giuseppe Pezzella, 2023. "A Numerical Procedure for Variable-Pitch Law Formulation of Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-20, January.
    9. Wang, Zhenyu & Zhuang, Mei, 2017. "Leading-edge serrations for performance improvement on a vertical-axis wind turbine at low tip-speed-ratios," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 1184-1197.
    10. Bangga, Galih & Dessoky, Amgad & Wu, Zhenlong & Rogowski, Krzysztof & Hansen, Martin O.L., 2020. "Accuracy and consistency of CFD and engineering models for simulating vertical axis wind turbine loads," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    11. Li, Qing'an & Maeda, Takao & Kamada, Yasunari & Ogasawara, Tatsuhiko & Nakai, Alisa & Kasuya, Takuji, 2017. "Investigation of power performance and wake on a straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine with field experiments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1113-1123.
    12. Kumar, Rakesh & Sarkar, Shibayan, 2022. "Effect of design parameters on the performance of helical Darrieus hydrokinetic turbines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    13. Elie Antar & Amne El Cheikh & Michel Elkhoury, 2019. "A Dynamic Rotor Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine with a Blade Transitioning Capability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, April.
    14. Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim & Montazeri, Hamid & Blocken, Bert, 2018. "Towards optimal aerodynamic design of vertical axis wind turbines: Impact of solidity and number of blades," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 1129-1148.
    15. Mohanasundaram Anthony & Valsalal Prasad & Kannadasan Raju & Mohammed H. Alsharif & Zong Woo Geem & Junhee Hong, 2020. "Design of Rotor Blades for Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Wind Flow Modifier for Low Wind Profile Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-26, September.
    16. Hassan, Syed Saddam ul & Javaid, M. Tariq & Rauf, Umar & Nasir, Sheharyar & Shahzad, Aamer & Salamat, Shuaib, 2023. "Systematic investigation of power enhancement of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines using bio-inspired leading edge tubercles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    17. Kuang, Limin & Su, Jie & Chen, Yaoran & Han, Zhaolong & Zhou, Dai & Zhang, Kai & Zhao, Yongsheng & Bao, Yan, 2022. "Wind-capture-accelerate device for performance improvement of vertical-axis wind turbines: External diffuser system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PB).
    18. Pagnini, Luisa & Piccardo, Giuseppe & Repetto, Maria Pia, 2018. "Full scale behavior of a small size vertical axis wind turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 41-55.
    19. Hesami, Ali & Nikseresht, Amir H., 2023. "Towards development and optimization of the Savonius wind turbine incorporated with a wind-lens," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    20. Liu, Jian & Zhu, Wenqing & Xiao, Zhixiang & Sun, Haisheng & Huang, Yong & Liu, Zhitao, 2018. "DDES with adaptive coefficient for stalled flows past a wind turbine airfoil," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 846-858.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:4:p:776-:d:319130. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.