Effect number of blades on the performance of h-Darrieus wind turbine with NACA 0018 air foil

Abstract

Wind energy is renewable energy and can be used as an alternative energy source. To harvest wind energy, wind turbines are used. The low power coefficient of the vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) is one of its drawbacks. To overcome this, numerical research was carried out using a variation of the blade on NACA 0018. CFD-Fluent use in this research with turbulent model k – epsilon. The number of blades 3, 4, 5, and 6 each tested at a tip speed ratio of 1.8. The result of the simulation is plotted and discussed as contour velocity, the maximum power coefficient obtained at the number blades 5 is 0.589.