Investigation on harvesting characteristics of convective wind energy from vehicle driving on multi-lane highway

Abstract

In the previous study, through the comparison of various highways convective wind energy capturing devices (HCWECDs), it is confirmed that the best wind energy capture device (WECD) structure is the combined turbine (CT). On this basis, this study continues to further study the capture efficiency of WECD and the interaction between WECD and the vehicle in the multi-lane working condition of cars and trucks. Seven different working conditions were selected for the study through the driving conditions of the vehicles and the placement of WECD in the highway. Star CCM + software was used to model and analyze various working conditions. The simulation results are compared, and the results show that the highest power coefficient (Cp) of WECD is 28.2% in seven working conditions; WECD placed in the isolation zone has a low wind energy utilization rate for vehicles other than in the overtaking lane; When two cars are driving opposite each other, the wake affects each other, reducing the impact on WECD; The rotation of WECD has little influence on vehicle driving, but when two vehicles drive opposite each other, it can reduce part of the resistance of vehicle driving for a short time. This study makes a little use of the huge wind energy behind the car body, so there is a huge room for improvement.