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Numerical Analysis on the Effectiveness of Gurney Flaps as Power Augmentation Devices for Airfoils Subject to a Continuous Variation of the Angle of Attack by Use of Full and Surrogate Models

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  • Piotr Wiśniewski

    (Institute of Thermal Technology, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland)

  • Francesco Balduzzi

    (Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), Università degli Studi di Firenze, via di Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy)

  • Zbigniew Buliński

    (Institute of Thermal Technology, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland)

  • Alessandro Bianchini

    (Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), Università degli Studi di Firenze, via di Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy)

Abstract

The disclosing of new diffusion frontiers for wind energy, like deep-water offshore applications or installations in urban environments, is putting new focus on Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). To partially fill the efficiency gap of these turbines, aerodynamic developments are still needed. This work in particular focuses on the development of a mathematical model that allows predicting the possible performance improvements enabled in a VAWT by application of the Gurney flaps (GFs) as a function of the blade thickness, the rotor solidity and geometry of the Gurney flap itself. The performance of airfoil with GFs was evaluated by means of detailed simulations making use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The accuracy of the CFD model was assessed against the results of a dedicated experimental study. In the simulations, a dedicated method to simulate cycles of variation of the angle of attack similar to those taking place in a cycloidal motion (rather than purely sinusoidal ones) was also developed. Based on the results from CFD, a multidimensional interpolation based on the radial basis functions was conducted in order to find the GF design solution that provides the highest efficiency for a given turbine in terms of airfoil and solidity. The results showed that, for the selected study cases based on symmetric airfoils, the GF positioned facing outwards from the turbine, which provides the upwind part of the revolution, can lead to power increments ranging from approximately 30% for the lower-solidity turbine up to 90% for the higher-solidity turbine. It was also shown that the introduction of a GF should be coupled with a re-optimization of the airfoil thickness to maximize the performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Piotr Wiśniewski & Francesco Balduzzi & Zbigniew Buliński & Alessandro Bianchini, 2020. "Numerical Analysis on the Effectiveness of Gurney Flaps as Power Augmentation Devices for Airfoils Subject to a Continuous Variation of the Angle of Attack by Use of Full and Surrogate Models," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-25, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:8:p:1877-:d:344576
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aitor Saenz-Aguirre & Unai Fernandez-Gamiz & Ekaitz Zulueta & Alain Ulazia & Jon Martinez-Rico, 2019. "Optimal Wind Turbine Operation by Artificial Neural Network-Based Active Gurney Flap Flow Control," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, May.
    2. Zhu, Bing & Huang, Yun & Zhang, Yongming, 2018. "Energy harvesting properties of a flapping wing with an adaptive Gurney flap," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 119-128.
    3. Balduzzi, Francesco & Bianchini, Alessandro & Maleci, Riccardo & Ferrara, Giovanni & Ferrari, Lorenzo, 2016. "Critical issues in the CFD simulation of Darrieus wind turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 419-435.
    4. Balduzzi, Francesco & Bianchini, Alessandro & Ferrara, Giovanni & Ferrari, Lorenzo, 2016. "Dimensionless numbers for the assessment of mesh and timestep requirements in CFD simulations of Darrieus wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 246-261.
    5. Islam, M.R. & Mekhilef, S. & Saidur, R., 2013. "Progress and recent trends of wind energy technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 456-468.
    6. Unai Fernandez-Gamiz & Macarena Gomez-Mármol & Tomas Chacón-Rebollo, 2018. "Computational Modeling of Gurney Flaps and Microtabs by POD Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-19, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Giovanni Ferrara & Alessandro Bianchini, 2021. "Special Issue “Numerical Simulation of Wind Turbines”," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-2, March.
    2. Galih Bangga, 2022. "Progress and Outlook in Wind Energy Research," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-5, September.
    3. Taurista P. Syawitri & Yufeng Yao & Jun Yao & Budi Chandra, 2022. "A review on the use of passive flow control devices as performance enhancement of lift‐type vertical axis wind turbines," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(4), July.

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