A numerical and experimental study of a new Savonius wind rotor adaptation based on product design requirements

Abstract

This paper presents the numerical-experimental study carried out on a new rotor adapted from a Savonius rotor. Aesthetic, ergonomic and functional requirements have been incorporated into it in order to be part of sustainable consumer products. The new rotor consists of a parametric model adaptable to the dimensions and geometry of the products which it will be part of. A set of translation, symmetry, rotation and scaling operations have been applied to the bucket sections of the Savonius rotor by means of transforming the initial cylindrical buckets into topological surfaces with an organic shape. The new modified Savonius rotor and the conventional Savonius with the same Aspect Ratio have been tested in an open jet wind tunnel in order to verify the influence level of product design parameters on rotor performance, in terms of power coefficient, torque coefficient and mechanical power generated. Experimental tests have been carried out for Reynolds values in the range of [3.430 · 104 and 1.419 · 105]. A numerical analysis using an incompressible unsteady Reynolds average Navier Stockes model has been validated by means of the experimental results. Experimental and numerical results coincide with a 3.5% error. The behavior of the turbine has been analyzed by varying the angle of rotation for the sections of its buckets. Using a rotation angle of 45° the power coefficient values improve by 32% compared to the values obtained using an angle of 0°. The rotor has been dimensioned for its application in a patented consumer product of small dimensions and requirements of lateral accessibility to its interior. Under these limited conditions the rotor meets the small-scale energy requirements of the product. The new rotor is designed as an aid to the energy consumption of the product in which it is incorporated, maintaining the advantages of a conventional Savonius rotor as self-starting, easy manufacture and maintenance, obtaining at the same time a product that sells better, is more able to integrate into its environment and is customizable for the consumer.