A Simulation Study of Flow and Pressure Distribution Patterns in a Two Stage Three Bucket Savonius Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Abstract

Performance of Savonius vertical axis wind turbine can be increased by incorporating end plates, deflector plates, curtains, shielding, guide vanes etc in their designs. However, multi-staging of conventional VAWT rotors could be a viable proposition in terms of improvement of power output. Numerical analysis involving three bucket Savonius turbines are not available in the open domain. The objective of the present numerical investigation is to study the flow and pressure distribution patterns in the two-stage three bucket Savonius vertical axis wind turbine. The performance of SVAWT is based on the maximum difference in pressure between the upstream and downstream of the turbine. Velocity vector plots shows the energy transfer occurring from the fluid to the blade within the flow field in the upstream and downstream of the turbine. The trail of the wake left behind the SVAWT was observed in the downstream of the turbine. It is observed that eddies in large scale are present around the turbine flow field.