Abstract
This paper presents the results of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the airflow for a 300 W horizontal axis wind turbine, using additional structural elements which modify the original shape of the rotor in the form of multi-shaped bowls which change the airflow distribution. A three-dimensional CAD model of the tested wind turbine was presented, with three variants subjected to simulation: a basic wind turbine without the element that modifies the airflow distribution, a turbine with a plano-convex bowl, and a turbine with a centrally convex bowl, with the hyperbolic disappearance of convexity as the radius of the rotor increases. The momentary value of wind speed, recorded at measuring points located in the plane of wind turbine blades, demonstrated an increase when compared to the base model by 35% for the wind turbine with the plano-convex bowl, for the wind speed of 5 m/s, and 31.3% and 49% for the higher approaching wind speed, for the plano-convex bowl and centrally convex bowl, respectively. The centrally convex bowl seems to be more appropriate for higher approaching wind speeds. An increase in wind turbine efficiency, described by the power coefficient, for solutions with aerodynamic bowls was observed.
Highlights
Wind energy, next to solar energy and biomass technologies, is becoming ever more important due to its wide availability and low impact on the environment, as its use helps to reduce the emission of gaseous and dust pollutants arising from the combustion of conventional fuels
HAWT turbines are mainly used on large wind farms, benefits can be gained through the use of small-scale horizontal axis wind turbines, as in the case of globally developing prosumer installations
Regardless of the scale of the installation, the aerodynamics of the wind flow around the turbine plays an important role in wind turbine efficiency
Summary
Next to solar energy and biomass technologies, is becoming ever more important due to its wide availability and low impact on the environment, as its use helps to reduce the emission of gaseous and dust pollutants arising from the combustion of conventional fuels. HAWT turbines are mainly used on large wind farms, benefits can be gained through the use of small-scale horizontal axis wind turbines, as in the case of globally developing prosumer installations. An analysis of the literature regarding the various aspects of rotor aerodynamics shows that there are three approaches that can be applied to analyze the airflow around a wind turbine. These are wind tunnel experimental measurements (expensive and highly complex), analytical modeling (limited accuracy), and numerical techniques in the field of fluid mechanics (CFD), which are universal and allow the acceleration of the design and implementation of new solutions, and verification of errors at an early stage of the project
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