Abstract

Wind tunnel testing of small-scale models is one of the most useful techniques to predict the performance of real-scale applications. In this work, the aerodynamic design and the construction of a small-scale model of a straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine for wind tunnel testing has been performed. Using a double multiple streamtube model (DMST), different solidity values for the turbine and different airfoil geometries were compared to select the final design. Once an optimal design was selected, a numerical simulation using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was performed in order to obtain a more precise description of the flow field as well as the performance of the model. Future work will comprise the characterization of the model and the comparison of the experimental and numerical results.

Highlights

  • The development of renewable energy sources is a major concern in many countries

  • Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) represent a feasible solution for in situ clean energy generation in urban areas, being able to produce electricity from lower wind speeds than horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT). Another advantage of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) over HAWTs is that they do not require constant reorientation to keep according to the wind flow direction

  • Wind tunnel testing of small-scale models is one of the most useful techniques to predict the performance of real-scale applications

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Summary

Introduction

The development of renewable energy sources is a major concern in many countries In this context, vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) represent a feasible solution for in situ clean energy generation in urban areas, being able to produce electricity from lower wind speeds than horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT). Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) represent a feasible solution for in situ clean energy generation in urban areas, being able to produce electricity from lower wind speeds than horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) Another advantage of VAWTs over HAWTs is that they do not require constant reorientation to keep according to the wind flow direction. The aerodynamic design and the construction of a small-scale model of a straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine for wind tunnel testing has been performed

Experimental Facility
Aerodynamic Design of the Model
Numerical Simulation of the Performance of the Model
Construction of the Prototype
Conclusions
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