Abstract
This paper investigates the need for dynamic inflow models for vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). The approach is two-fold. First, dynamic inflow is realised by dynamic thrust on an actuator disk in OpenFOAM. The induction phase shift and amplitude showed a significant dependency on the streamwise location. Second, a reference turbine in surging motion is studied using an actuator line OpenFOAM model as reference and an actuator cylinder model (with and without dynamic inflow model). The Larsen and Madsen dynamic inflow model is able to capture the overall behaviour in dynamic inflow conditions, however, it may be improved in the most upwind and downwind location. This study indicates that the modelling of VAWTs in dynamic inflow conditions may be enhanced by improving the dynamic inflow models.
Highlights
Offshore wind turbine technology has made significant progress since the first offshore wind farm installed in 1991
Results & Discussion To quantify the capabilities to compute the performance of a vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) in dynamic inflow conditions with an engineering model derived for HAWTs, the reference turbine is subjected to a surging motion with various reduced frequencies
The actuator cylinder model without dynamic inflow model outperforms the one including the dynamic inflow model causing the prediction of the average tangential loading, which is a measure for the average power coefficient, not to be improved significantly
Summary
Offshore wind turbine technology has made significant progress since the first offshore wind farm installed in 1991. Horizontal axis wind turbines have reached a mature level and dominate the market. The operational conditions are significantly different, raising the question whether other concepts such as vertical axis wind turbines could be more suitable and allow a reduction in the cost of energy. The development of floating vertical axis wind turbines is still at an early stage. A fundamental difference between onshore and offshore turbines is the additional complexity introduced by the motions of the floating platform [1]. In some modelling techniques such as computational fluid dynamics or vortex methods, phenomena like the dynamic inflow effect are represented since the wake is physically modelled in space and time. Simpler models are often opted for, they need additional correction models to cope with unsteady effects such as dynamic inflow.
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