Abstract
This paper deals with the 3D effects of a vertical-axis wind turbine caused by the tip vortices. In this study, the VAWT rotor is simplified by the infinitely bladed actuator cylinder concept. The loads are prescribed to be uniform and normal to the surface and are distributed between the upwind and downwind half. Depending on the load configuration, the tip vortices are shed at different locations. This causes the wake induction field and the induction at the rotor to be significantly different. The 3D effects cause a power loss that may go up to 15% depending on the load configuration and aspect ratio. Starting from an aspect ratio of 5, the rotor induction and power is approaching 2D results.
Highlights
Horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) are widely studied and have proven their technological capabilities, researchers are constantly seeking to lower the cost of energy
The 3D effects cause a power loss that may go up to 15% depending on the load configuration and aspect ratio
Since Vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are intrinsically unsteady, the wake of a VAWT mainly consists of shed wake vorticity and the strength is given by the gradient of the bound vorticity
Summary
Horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) are widely studied and have proven their technological capabilities, researchers are constantly seeking to lower the cost of energy. Amongst them Paraschivoiu[2], Sharpe[3], Biswas et al.[4] and Beddoes[5] presented tip-effect corrections to represent the finite span effects These approaches are limited since they are applied in a similar way as for HAWTs while the vorticity system of a VAWT is significantly different. The 3D vortex structures of a VAWT and HAWT are significantly different It is still rather unclear what the effects are of tip vortices on the rotor and wake induction of a VAWT and to what extend it affects the power generation. With this motivation, a study is performed to identify the 3D effects of a vertical-axis wind turbine. We reflect on the research objective of this paper
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