Design modification and performance prediction of ellipsoid cross-flow hydrokinetic turbine

Abstract

In this study, an ellipsoid-shaped cross-flow hydrokinetic (ECFHKT) has been selected for the study. The performance of the ECFHKT was investigated for different design parameters, namely the number of blades, blade angle and blade length. The performance of ECFHKT was evaluated in terms of coefficient of torque (Ct) and coefficient of power (Cp) with respect to different tip speed ratios (TSR) by considering different flow velocities in the range of 0.5 m/s to 3.0 m/s, experimentally and numerically. Further, the Flow behavior across the ECFHKT was analyzed and discussed through pressure contour, velocity contour and velocity vector. It was found that design parameters play a vital role in enhancing the performance of the rotor and self-starting capabilities. For this analysis, the maximum Ct and Cp were obtained as 1.08 and 0.267, respectively. Further, It was observed that the ECFHKT performed well both in low and high flow conditions within a narrow range of tip speed ratio.