IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i24p9365-d999760.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Self-Starting Characteristics and Flow-Induced Rotation of Single- and Dual-Stage Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Saif Ullah Khalid

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada)

  • David Wood

    (Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada)

  • Arman Hemmati

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada)

Abstract

Despite offering promising opportunities for wind energy harvesting in urban environments, vertical axis wind turbines face limitations in terms of poor starting characteristics. In this study, we focus on analyzing improvements offered by dual-stage turbines for a range of wind velocities. Numerical simulations are performed for different phase angles between the rotors (a measure of relative angular positions of the blades in the two rotors) to quantify the response time for their starting behavior. These simulations rely on a through sliding mesh technique coupled with flow-induced rotations. We find that for U ∞ = 4 m / s , the phase angles of 30 ∘ and 90 ∘ substantially reduce starting time in comparison to a single-stage turbine. Dual-stage turbines with a phase angle of 90 ∘ exhibit similar or better starting behavior for other wind speeds. The phase angle of 0 ∘ in double-rotor turbines shows the poorest starting response. Moreover, it is revealed that stabilization of shear layers generated by the blades passing through the windward side of the turbine, vortex-entrapment by these rotating blades, and suppressing of flow structures in the middle of the wake enhance the capacity of VAWTs to achieve faster steady angular speed.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Saif Ullah Khalid & David Wood & Arman Hemmati, 2022. "Self-Starting Characteristics and Flow-Induced Rotation of Single- and Dual-Stage Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:24:p:9365-:d:999760
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/24/9365/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/24/9365/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Siddiqui, M. Salman & Durrani, Naveed & Akhtar, Imran, 2015. "Quantification of the effects of geometric approximations on the performance of a vertical axis wind turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 661-670.
    2. Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim & Montazeri, Hamid & Blocken, Bert, 2019. "On the accuracy of turbulence models for CFD simulations of vertical axis wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 838-857.
    3. Sun, Xuejing & Zhu, Jianyang & Li, Zongjin & Sun, Guoxing, 2021. "Rotation improvement of vertical axis wind turbine by offsetting pitching angles and changing blade numbers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PB).
    4. Zhen Liu & Hengliang Qu & Hongda Shi, 2016. "Numerical Study on Self-Starting Performance of Darrieus Vertical Axis Turbine for Tidal Stream Energy Conversion," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, September.
    5. Hashem, Islam & Zhu, Baoshan, 2021. "Metamodeling-based parametric optimization of a bio-inspired Savonius-type hydrokinetic turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 560-576.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Mohamed, M.H., 2014. "Aero-acoustics noise evaluation of H-rotor Darrieus wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 596-604.
    10. Ghasemian, Masoud & Nejat, Amir, 2015. "Aero-acoustics prediction of a vertical axis wind turbine using Large Eddy Simulation and acoustic analogy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 711-717.
    11. Asr, Mahdi Torabi & Nezhad, Erfan Zal & Mustapha, Faizal & Wiriadidjaja, Surjatin, 2016. "Study on start-up characteristics of H-Darrieus vertical axis wind turbines comprising NACA 4-digit series blade airfoils," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 528-537.
    12. Ebert, P.R. & Wood, D.H., 1997. "Observations of the starting behaviour of a small horizontalaxis wind turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 245-257.
    13. Sengupta, A.R. & Biswas, A. & Gupta, R., 2016. "Studies of some high solidity symmetrical and unsymmetrical blade H-Darrieus rotors with respect to starting characteristics, dynamic performances and flow physics in low wind streams," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 536-547.
    14. 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.
    15. Mohamed, M.H., 2016. "Reduction of the generated aero-acoustics noise of a vertical axis wind turbine using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) techniques," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 531-544.
    16. Didane, Djamal Hissein & Rosly, Nurhayati & Zulkafli, Mohd Fadhli & Shamsudin, Syariful Syafiq, 2018. "Performance evaluation of a novel vertical axis wind turbine with coaxial contra-rotating concept," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 353-361.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Liu, Qingsong & Miao, Weipao & Ye, Qi & Li, Chun, 2022. "Performance assessment of an innovative Gurney flap for straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1124-1138.
    2. 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).
    3. Celik, Yunus & Ingham, Derek & Ma, Lin & Pourkashanian, Mohamed, 2022. "Design and aerodynamic performance analyses of the self-starting H-type VAWT having J-shaped aerofoils considering various design parameters using CFD," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    4. Wong, Kok Hoe & Chong, Wen Tong & Poh, Sin Chew & Shiah, Yui-Chuin & Sukiman, Nazatul Liana & Wang, Chin-Tsan, 2018. "3D CFD simulation and parametric study of a flat plate deflector for vertical axis wind turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(PA), pages 32-55.
    5. Dessoky, Amgad & Lutz, Thorsten & Bangga, Galih & Krämer, Ewald, 2019. "Computational studies on Darrieus VAWT noise mechanisms employing a high order DDES model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 404-425.
    6. 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.
    7. Rosario Lanzafame & Stefano Mauro & Michele Messina & Sebastian Brusca, 2020. "Development and Validation of CFD 2D Models for the Simulation of Micro H-Darrieus Turbines Subjected to High Boundary Layer Instabilities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, October.
    8. 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).
    9. Balduzzi, Francesco & Drofelnik, Jernej & Bianchini, Alessandro & Ferrara, Giovanni & Ferrari, Lorenzo & Campobasso, Michele Sergio, 2017. "Darrieus wind turbine blade unsteady aerodynamics: a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes CFD assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 550-563.
    10. Hand, Brian & Cashman, Andrew, 2018. "Aerodynamic modeling methods for a large-scale vertical axis wind turbine: A comparative study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(PA), pages 12-31.
    11. 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).
    12. Su, Jie & Lei, Hang & Zhou, Dai & Han, Zhaolong & Bao, Yan & Zhu, Hongbo & Zhou, Lei, 2019. "Aerodynamic noise assessment for a vertical axis wind turbine using Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 559-569.
    13. 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).
    14. Kuang, Limin & Katsuchi, Hiroshi & Zhou, Dai & Chen, Yaoran & Han, Zhaolong & Zhang, Kai & Wang, Jiaqi & Bao, Yan & Cao, Yong & Liu, Yijie, 2023. "Strategy for mitigating wake interference between offshore vertical-axis wind turbines: Evaluation of vertically staggered arrangement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    15. 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.
    16. Lidong Zhang & Kaiqi Zhu & Junwei Zhong & Ling Zhang & Tieliu Jiang & Shaohua Li & Zhongbin Zhang, 2018. "Numerical Investigations of the Effects of the Rotating Shaft and Optimization of Urban Vertical Axis Wind Turbines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-25, July.
    17. Franchina, N. & Kouaissah, O. & Persico, G. & Savini, M., 2022. "Three-dimensional modeling and investigation of the flow around a troposkein vertical axis wind turbine at different operating conditions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 368-381.
    18. 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.
    19. Liu, W.Y., 2017. "A review on wind turbine noise mechanism and de-noising techniques," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 311-320.
    20. Francesco Balduzzi & Marco Zini & Andreu Carbó Molina & Gianni Bartoli & Tim De Troyer & Mark C. Runacres & Giovanni Ferrara & Alessandro Bianchini, 2020. "Understanding the Aerodynamic Behavior and Energy Conversion Capability of Small Darrieus Vertical Axis Wind Turbines in Turbulent Flows," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, June.

    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:15:y:2022:i:24:p:9365-:d:999760. 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.