Turbine Performance Research Articles

Comprehensive study of vortices interaction and blades height effect in a Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine with J‐type blades

AbstractThere is a growing demand to improve the performance of vertical axis wind turbines to facilitate their commercialization for application in urban areas. This study utilizes a 3D numerical analysis to examine the influence of different vortices generated on turbine efficiency with straight and J‐type blades. The numerical simulation of this study employs the Reynolds‐Averaged Navier–Stokes equations and ‎sliding ‎mesh techniques ‎to more accurately model the rotational motion of blades about the turbine axis in relation to the ‎wind. Comparing the output ‎torque and the flow field at different span‐wise sections, the J‐type blades achieve better ‎performance at mid‐spans where the effect of stall vortices is dominant. Conversely, the lower ‎performance of J‐type blades is seen at tip spans due to stronger tip vortices. Investigations also ‎reveal the criticality of the downwind region on the overall performance at high tip speed ratios. It is observed that by ‎increasing the height, the tip vortices are limited to the tip sections, and stall vortices expand further ‎along the blade. At TSR = 1, the improvement by J‐type blades rises from 10% at a height of 0.8 m to 44% ‎at 3 m. The growth in height at lower wind speeds becomes more beneficial. Compared to the straight blades, the self‐starting ‎generated torque by J‐type blades for heights of 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 m, are improved by 15.6%, ‎‎26.9%, and 34.7%, respectively. Overall, it is concluded that by increasing the blade height, the superiority ‎of the J‐type blade becomes more noticeable as the blade mainly contributes to suppressing the stall ‎vortices effect where the tip vortices effect is not presented. ‎

Assessing wind turbine blade durability longevity utilizing national renewable energy laboratory tools

With the escalating significance of renewable energy, there exists a pressing demand for precise software and tools capable of designing and forecasting wind turbine blade service life. OpenFAST, TurbSim, and MLife are pivotal open-source wind turbine simulation tools that integrate aerodynamics, structural dynamics, wind simulation, and control systems. They enable accurate prediction of wind turbine performance. This study aims to leverage these software resources to model turbulent wind conditions using predefined basic parameters and then calculate fatigue and longevity of the wind turbine blade to determine service life. Particularly, MLife was employed for rose loading, enhancing the fidelity of the loading cycle simulation. Collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the research team played a crucial role in establishing a foundational baseline and implementing realistic input parameters for evaluating the ultimate load, determining damage equivalent loads (DEL), and projecting service life. In all simulations, a constant factor of safety (FOS) of 1.5 was consistently applied. Additionally, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was employed to validate our numerical experiments, ensuring the accuracy of the obtained results by correlating simulation outcomes with real-world scenarios, further strengthening the credibility of the study.

Design considerations and preliminary hydrodynamic analysis of an offshore decentralised floating wind-hydrogen system

Despite the number of works on the techno-economics of offshore green hydrogen production, there is a lack of research on the design of floating platforms to concomitantly support hydrogen production facilities and wind power generation equipment. Indeed, previous studies on offshore decentralised configuration for hydrogen production, implicitly assume that a floating platform designed for wind power generation (FOWT) can be also suitable as a floating wind hydrogen system (FWHS). This work proposes a novel design for an offshore decentralised FWHS, and analyses the effects of the integration of the hydrogen facilities on the platform's dynamics and how this in turn affects the performances of the wind turbine and the hydrogen equipment. Our findings indicate that despite the reduction in platform's stability, the performance of the wind turbine is barely affected. Regarding the hydrogen system, our results aim at contributing to further assessment and design of this equipment for offshore conditions.

Improving operation flexibility of the gas turbine through coolant intercooling and air injection using a sub-compressor

The use of renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power, is increasing, but it is necessary to alleviate the variation of such resources, a key drawback of using renewable energy. In this context, gas turbines capable of fast startup and rapidly changing power following a load have attracted considerable attention. Nevertheless, enhancing the operational flexibility of gas turbines is crucial to ensure their stable operation under various conditions. Several studies have attempted to enhance the flexible operating capabilities, by examining the operational stability assurance under a variety of conditions and life cycle increases by changing the operating conditions. This paper proposes a new gas turbine configuration and operating strategy in which a sub-compressor is used to increase the ramp rate and mitigate the thermal load of the turbine blades. The performance and dynamic behavior of the novel gas turbine was simulated using an in-house program based on the gas path analysis. Specifically, a sub-compressor with an inter-cooler was used to cool the coolant from 398 °C to 300 °C, which increased the gas turbine power by 1.3 MW and efficiency by 0.4%p compared to the conventional gas turbine. In addition, when applying a new operating strategy during the ramp-up phase, a part of coolant air was injected into the combustor to suppress the maximum turbine inlet temperature by 15 °C compared to the conventional gas turbine. As a result, the ramp rate could be doubled (from 18.75 to 37.5 %/min) by alleviating the fluctuations of hot gas temperature in the ramp-up phase.

A Comprehensive Review of SCADA-Based Wind Turbine Performance and Reliability Modeling with Machine Learning Approaches

The increasing reliance on wind energy to meet global energy demands has made wind turbine performance optimization and reliability a critical area of research. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) data, which provides real-time operational insights into wind turbines, plays a pivotal role in predictive maintenance, fault detection, and energy output optimization. This review explores the current methodologies and advancements in wind turbine performance modeling and reliability analysis, with a particular emphasis on machine learning (ML) approaches. Existing studies that utilize SCADA data to implement various ML models, such as decision trees, neural networks, and ensemble learning techniques (bagging, boosting, stacking), are analyzed for their effectiveness in predicting turbine failures, improving energy efficiency, and optimizing maintenance schedules. Key findings from multiple studies are synthesized, highlighting the strengths, limitations, and real-world applications of these models. Challenges in data quality, model generalization, and the implementation of real-time ML-driven systems in wind farms are also addressed. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of SCADA-based wind turbine analysis and to offer a roadmap for future research that bridges the gap between data-driven models and their practical deployment in wind energy systems.

Effect of profiled endwall on nozzle guide vane with coolant purge flow

The aerothermal performance of a gas turbine could be improved by applying endwall profiling to the nozzle guide vane. In this study, various thermal performance factors of flat and profiled endwalls with purge coolant flow were investigated using adequate experimental methods. Each experiment was conducted under same exit Reynolds number (300,000) for the flat and profiled endwalls. Because secondary vortices in the nozzle passage were weakened by the endwall profiling, the upstream purge coolant covered the endwall surface wider and further with the profiled endwall. Moreover, the heat transfer coefficient in upstream region could be reduced with the weakened secondary vortex. The experimental results indicated that the area-averaged film cooling effectiveness on the profiled endwall was 67.7 % higher and the area-averaged Sherwood number was 18.3 % lower than those on the flat endwall. Although the downstream region of the profiled endwall exhibited a negative cooling performance, the overall area-averaged net heat flux reduction was 169 % higher than that on the flat endwall. Thus, if an additional cooling system was applied to the downstream region of the passage, the profiled endwall could effectively improve not only the aerodynamic performance but also the cooling performance of the nozzle guide vane.

Hydrodynamic performance of a monopile offshore wind turbine in extreme wave groups

Dynamic responses of offshore wind turbines, particularly under extreme wave excitations, are crucial to structural design. Extreme waves, e.g. breaking waves, are random processes, which induce uncertainty in the estimation of dynamic responses. This type of uncertainty has been accommodated through a safety of factor which is conservative and thus leads to cost inflation. To reduce the cost and enable economically viable development of offshore wind, it is essential to understand the dynamic process of offshore wind turbines under extreme wave excitation scenarios. However, it is challenging to predict these dynamic responses through numerical simulations, due to the nonlinearity and randomness in such a complex process. To overcome these challenges, this study conducted a series of physical model testing to better capture the extreme wave induced loads on a monopile, which are then served as input for numerical modelling. Through this hybrid model, different vibration mechanisms are revealed, which shed lights on further cost reduction in the design of offshore wind turbines.

Numerical investigation of the impact of the diameter and rotational motion of a multi-blade rotor on the hydrokinetic combined turbine performance

The vertical axis combined hydrokinetic turbine (VACHT) presents promising applications in marine environments due to its high self-starting performance and efficiency. However, traditional VACHTs suffer from significant performance losses in the outer rotor when the diameter ratio is large and the startup dead zone issue of the inner Savonius rotor. To address these challenges, this study proposes a VACHT composed of an H-type rotor and a multi-blade (M-type) rotor, categorized into two structures based on counter-rotating and co-rotating operations. Numerical simulations reveal that the diameter ratio (f) has a greater impact on VACHT performance than the tip speed ratio. Counter-rotating allows the VACHTs to accommodate larger diameter ratios (f > 0.6) than co-rotation. The diameter ratio primarily influences the interference between the inner and outer rotors. The M-type rotor enhances the self-starting performance of both VACHTs, providing enhancements exceeding 200 %. Moreover, cluster arrangements of VACHTs benefit from increased power output due to enhanced blockage effects, with co-rotating VACHTs exhibiting higher gains (13.65 %) compared to counter-rotating VACHTs (9.84 %). The lengths of both VACHTs’ wake are similar to H-type turbines, indicating that the compactness of the VACHT cluster remains unaffected.

Numerical and experimental study of the effect of an innovative trailing-edge flap on the aerodynamic performance of small-scale horizontal-axis wind turbines

The impact of an innovative trailing-edge flap (blended TEF) on the aerodynamic performance of small-scale horizontal-axis wind turbines is numerically and experimentally studied. The blended TEF is characterized by both the pressure surface of the hinged TEF and the suction surface of the morphed TEF. The wind speed, rotational speed, and power coefficient of four wind turbines were measured in a wind tunnel. The results show that the wind turbines with the morphed and hinged blades were respectively the easiest and hardest to start, and respectively had the lowest and highest output axial thrust. Moreover, the wind turbines with the hinged and blended blades were found to have the lowest and highest output power, respectively. Compared with the original wind turbine, the wind turbine with the blended blade respectively resulted in additional power and thrust increases of 130.95% and 113.49% at the wind speed of 1.29 m/s.

The Influence of Reduced Frequency on H-VAWT Aerodynamic Performance and Flow Field Near Blades

Studies demonstrate that the reduced frequency k is influenced by the incoming wind speed U0 and the rotor speed n. As a dimensionless parameter, k characterizes the stability of the flow field, which is a critical factor affecting the performance of vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). This paper investigates the impact of k on the performance of straight-blade vertical-axis wind turbines (H-VAWT). The findings indicate that 0.05 is the critical value of k. The same k results in a similar flow field structure, yet the performance changes vary with different U0. A decrease in n or an increase in U0 leads to an increase in the average value and fluctuation of k, which subsequently reduces the rotor rotation torque Cm and decreases the maximum wind energy utilization rate Cpmax. This reduction in Cpmax weakens the stability of the flow field. Additionally, the high-speed area of the blade’s trailing edge velocity trajectory at θ=0°, θ=120°, and θ=240° expands with increasing range. Velocity dissipation in the high-speed area of the trailing edge affects the stability of the flow field within the rotor.

Reduction of the Emission Footprint of Gas Turbines in Future Energy System Scenarios Through Optimized Hydrogen Admixture Strategies

Abstract Due to the inherent volatility of renewable power generation technologies, dispatchable components, such as gas turbines (GT) will have to be used increasingly for residual load balancing. In addition, GTs are expected to operate fewer hours per year, more flexibly, and at lower capacities. However, fuel utilization in GT is inherently linked to emissions. As a potentially CO2-free energy carrier, hydrogen is a promising fuel for GTs and manufacturers are working on suitable combustor technologies. However, the availability of large quantities of CO2-free H2 remains unclear in the near future. In this study, a physical-based gas turbine performance model and an emission calculation tool are used to derive an optimized H2 admixture strategy for different load profiles. Characteristic load demand scenarios are derived from actual load profiles of gas power plants and the emission footprints are comprehensively evaluated by different environmental impact categories. In general, the emission footprint is increased significantly and moderately for capacity reduction and flexibility increase of GT operation. The availability of H2 in the near future is derived from forecasts for Germany, and the corresponding quantities are allocated to the partial loads according to the optimized strategy. In most scenarios, the addition of H2 is associated with a reduction in emissions compared to conventional fossil fuel operation. The greatest leverage of H2 admixture in reducing the environmental footprint is found when applied from the lowest load up, thus assisting in the start-up and shut-down process.

Effects of endplate designs on the performance of Savonius vertical axis wind turbine

In aerodynamic studies, endplates or wingtip devices play a crucial role in enhancing the performance of airfoil blades and minimizing losses. This is particularly important for wind turbines, especially the drag-type Savonius turbine. This paper aims to investigate the effects of different endplate designs. Both experimental works and numerical simulations were conducted on a Savonius rotor with an aspect ratio of 1. A total of eight different endplate geometries and sizes were investigated. The mechanical torque and rotational speed were measured experimentally under various loads with an incoming wind speed of 5.89 m/s. The coefficient of torque (CT) and coefficient of power (CP) were calculated in both the experiments and simulations. The simulation was first validated using data from the literature, and flow characteristics were then scrutinized. The results indicate that the endplates greatly impact the turbine performance, with improvements of up to 299.7 % compared to a turbine without endplates from the experiment. The endplates help prevent flow leakage near the blade edges. In addition to tip losses reducing turbine performance, aerodynamic parasitic drag also contributed to a decrease in CP for the full endplate. The relationship between the aerodynamic parasitic drag with TSR is also reported. By implementing a well-designed endplate, these adverse effects can be mitigated.

Nonlinear seismic performance of offshore wind turbines on hybrid pile-bucket foundation in sand: Combined earthquake and wind-wave loads

Offshore wind turbines (OWTs) are gaining prominence worldwide, and the hybrid pile-bucket foundation, which combines a monopole and a bucket, has emerged as a noteworthy development. In this study, a 3-D numerical model for the 5-MW OWT was constructed utilizing the OpenSees platform. The dynamic characteristics of the sand was modeled with the PDMY02 constitutive model and the soil was discretized using brick u-p elements. To investigate the dynamic behavior of the OWT in an actual marine environment, the coupled model was subjected to dynamic loadings, encompassing waves, wind, and earthquake. Two seismic motions with different frequency components were considered, respectively. The study focused on exploring the impacts of key influencing factors on the OWT rotation, tower-top acceleration development and spatiotemporal distribution of excess pore water pressure ratio (EPWPR). These factors include dynamic load combinations, earthquake intensity, soil relative density, wind speed, angle between load directions, and pile length. It is revealed that the inclination angle of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) may exceed the allowable threshold under specific conditions of load combinations, seismic motion inputs, and seabed conditions. Thus, it is suggested to appropriately consider the effects of wind and wave actions in the seismic analysis of OWTS.

Experimental and simulation study of energy loss mechanism of low pressure ratio radial turbine

Low-pressure ratio conditions are commonly encountered in radial turbines. When operating at low pressure ratio condition, a significant portion of the turbine energy loss occurs as residual velocity loss in the form of swirling flow at the outlet pipe. Typically, this energy can be recovered by the next stage turbine or reduced by the diffuser. However, there is a lack of experimental and simulation studies on the swirling flow at the outlet of turbines. The mechanism governing the changing pattern of swirling flow remains unclear, limiting the effective utilization and reduction of residual velocity loss. This study conducts theoretical and experimental research on turbine outlet swirling flow. Firstly, this paper introduces a novel two-dimensional hot-wire anemometry stepping mechanism for measuring swirling flow at a turbine outlet cross-section. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed measurement method effectively captures the morphological changes of turbine outlet swirling flow. The results indicate a strong coupling relationship between axial and circumferential velocity. Subsequently, to elucidate the reasons for the coupling of velocity in two directions and the development of swirling flow in the outlet pipeline, simulations of turbine performance under different velocity ratio conditions were conducted. Results show that under a wide range of velocity ratios, not only does the direction of the turbine outlet swirling flow change, but it also leads to the swirl number exceeding the critical swirl ratio under high velocity ratio conditions, resulting in the formation of a central recirculation zone (CRZ) at the pipe outlet. The main cause of the strong coupling effect between velocities in two directions is attributed to the increased swirl intensity leading to enhanced adverse pressure gradients at the core of the vortex. Lastly, a model describing the variation of VGT turbine outlet swirling flow is established, indicating a linear relationship between the swirl number and the velocity ratio, with a steeper change as the pressure ratio decreases.

CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) Simulation of Hydrodynamic Vortex Turbine Performance: Influence of Notch Angle Variation on Flow Patterns and Efficiency

Hydrodynamic vortex turbines (HVTs) offer a promising solution for harnessing renewable energy from low-head water sources. The inlet notch angle, a critical geometric parameter, significantly influences the flow patterns within the turbine basin and, consequently, its overall performance. This study investigates the impact of notch angle variation on HVT efficiency and flow characteristics using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. A 3D model of an HVT was developed and simulated using ANSYS Fluent. The notch angle was varied between 7° and 15° in 2° increments. The k-ω SST turbulence model was employed to capture the complex flow behavior. Velocity and pressure contours were analyzed to understand the flow patterns, while turbine performance metrics, including torque, power output, and efficiency, were computed. The results revealed a strong correlation between notch angle and turbine performance. Increasing the notch angle led to higher flow velocities in the turbine basin, resulting in enhanced vortex formation and increased energy extraction. Consequently, both power output and efficiency improved with larger notch angles. The optimal notch angle, balancing efficiency and practical considerations, was identified. This study demonstrates the critical role of notch angle in HVT design. CFD simulations provide valuable insights into the flow dynamics and performance optimization of these turbines. The findings contribute to the advancement of HVT technology for sustainable micro-hydro power generation.

Teaching Aero-Engine Performance: From Analytics to Hands-On Exercises Using Gas Turbine Performance Software

Abstract In this paper, we present an approach for teaching turbojet engine performance that combines mathematical analysis with the use of performance software to provide students with a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of engine performance and how it is affected by design parameter choices. In the first part, we present the derivation of a universally valid analytical model for turbojet engine cycle design, which is the basis of the propulsion courses at RWTH Aachen University. The analytical model allows for the calculation of specific thrust as well as thermal and propulsive efficiencies as a function of pressure ratios and burner exit temperature. These are all expressed as differentiable functions. Their mathematical extremes form a basis for examining the intricate relationships in turbojet engine design. In the second part, we move from theory to practice. We utilize the GasTurb software, computing turbojet engine cycles for a wide range of cycle design parameters. The analytically derived trends are validated and errors introduced by simplifications are assessed. Differences between the analytical approach and software-based performance simulations of real engines, like temperature-dependent gas properties and secondary air systems, are emphasized and discussed, thus providing a bridge to real-world applications. In summary, this paper describes a two-step approach to teaching turbojet engine design using analytics and performance software. Each approach alone can be used to enrich and extend existing performance courses. Combining the approaches has significant benefits, improving understanding and inspiring students to pursue further research in the field of propulsion.

A comprehensive study of recent studies on the efficiency of axial flow turbines with an investigation on blade profile modifications in stator and rotor assemblies

Axial flow turbines are crucial in energy production and propulsion across diverse applications. As global energy needs rise, optimizing turbine efficiency is paramount. This review delves into the aerodynamic design of turbine blades, specifically examining blade profile modifications in both stator and rotor assemblies of state-of-the-art models proposed in the studies from 2019 to 2024. The focus is on mitigating performance discrepancies between idealized simulations and real-world applications, which present significant challenges such as inconsistencies in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions and manufacturing constraints. Key findings from this review highlight a potential efficiency gain of 1%–3% through optimal blade designs that reduce incidence losses, secondary flows, and tip vortex formation. Advanced modeling techniques, including high-fidelity, multi-objective optimization with machine learning, are evolving to better predict and enhance turbine performance. However, gaps remain in system-level integration and the limited experimental data restricts comprehensive validation of these new designs. The insights from this review will aid the research community by identifying critical areas for future investigation, such as integrating blade aerodynamics with heat transfer and structural mechanics. Further, it emphasizes the need for exploring combinations of passive and active flow control strategies to fully harness the benefits of blade profile enhancements. These efforts are crucial for achieving substantial improvements in turbine efficiency, which are essential for meeting the growing demands for sustainable and efficient energy production.

Rapid assessment of seismic performance of large monopile-supported offshore wind turbines under scour

This study focuses on investigating the seismic performance of a reference 15 MW offshore wind turbine (OWT) supported by a large-diameter monopile, under various scour conditions. Fully coupled nonlinear finite element models considering 3D soil continuum for seismic response analysis of monopile-supported OWTs are very complicated and computationally expensive. Therefore, it is important to have good insight on the dynamic behaviour of monopile-supported OWTs subjected to earthquake excitations before performing high-fidelity fully nonlinear 3D simulations, which will not generally be practical in cases considering various seismic loading and scouring scenarios. The purpose of this study is to provide a fast and efficient tool to understand the interaction between the seismic behaviour of emerging large-capacity OWTs when scour erosion affects the dynamic properties of the structure. The dynamic stiffness method (DSM) is applied for the free vibration analysis of the structure. Modal superposition is used to calculate the seismic responses of the OWT by using the exact mode shapes obtained from the dynamic stiffness formulations. The rotor-nacelle-assembly (RNA) is idealized as a lumped mass at the tower top. The tower and monopile are modelled as Timoshenko beam-columns under axial compressive loading. The soil-structure interaction (SSI) is modelled using the Winkler framework, whereby the soil contribution is assumed as elastic to take advantage of the modal superposition method. Two different approaches are considered for the soil stiffness; a constant profile, and a linearly-varying subgrade modulus along the embedded depth of the pile, and both are appraised in this paper. Firstly, natural frequencies obtained from dynamic stiffness formulations are validated using experimental data from literature for the case of controlled dynamic SSI experiments, and for operating OWTs. Additionally, the natural frequency provided by a technical document for the reference 15 MW OWT is compared to the result from the DSM, where a very good agreement is observed. The seismic response time-histories of the OWT model are obtained under different input earthquake conditions, and subsequently verified by comparison with the results of finite element simulations. The effects of different scour scenarios and foundation modelling approaches on the free vibration and seismic responses are subsequently investigated. A parametric analysis is also performed using different soil properties to observe the interaction between the soil stiffness, scour condition, and seismic response. Finally, the influence of the frequency content of seismic records on the dynamic response of the OWT, specifically the tower top acceleration, the mudline rotation, and the mudline stress, is investigated considering various scour scenarios. The specific numerical case study undertaken for a reference 15 MW OWT, which is supported by a large monopile in very dense sand, shows that the seismic responses are very limited and that the elastic soil behaviour assumption is reasonable. Additionally, considering the computational efficiency, the proposed combination of DSM and modal superposition can be used for rapid seismic performance assessment of large diameter monopile-supported OWTs at the preliminary design stage to gain insight to the global dynamic response of the whole vibrating system.

Investigation of operational settings, environmental conditions, and faults on the gas turbine performance

Abstract Gas turbine engines are complex mechanical marvels widely employed in diverse applications such as marine vessels, aircraft, power generation, and pumping facilities. However, their intricate nature renders them susceptible to numerous operational faults, significantly compromising their performance and leading to excessive emissions, consequently incurring stringent penalties from environmental regulatory bodies. Moreover, the deterioration of gas turbine performance is exacerbated by variations in working conditions based on operational settings and environmental conditions. Past studies have focused on certain working conditions that limit effectiveness in real-world applications where operational settings and environmental conditions vary during operations. The influence of these working conditions on the performance of gas turbines also needs to be assessed, as they can lead to different fault patterns resulting in unplanned maintenance, unnecessary maintenance costs, unsafe conditions and stringent penalties. This study uses the gas turbine simulation program to simulate a high-bypass turbofan engine inspired by Pratt & Whitney PW-4056, analysing the combined effects of operational settings and environmental conditions on engine performance while also incorporating simulations of common gas turbine faults like fouling and erosion in various locations and severities along the gas path. The model’s accuracy is confirmed by low mean absolute percentage errors of 0.004% of thrust at the cycle reference point and 0.15% and 0.28% at 2 km and 7 km altitudes, respectively, demonstrating the model’s robustness across varying operational scenarios. In conclusion, this research highlights the significant effects of operational settings and environmental factors on gas turbine performance, particularly impacting specific fuel consumption and thrust. The study reveals that operational settings and environmental factors significantly impact fuel consumption and thrust. Specifically, compressor fouling and low-pressure turbine erosion increase nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 4.5% and 11.1%, while fouling of nozzle guide vanes and high-pressure turbine erosion raise unburned hydrocarbon by 10.0% and 20.2%, and carbon monoxide (CO) by 3.2% and 5.2%, respectively, compared to a healthy engine. These insights highlight the importance of component-specific degradation in influencing gas turbine performance and emissions.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Investigation of NREL Phase VI Wind Turbine Performance Using Various Turbulence Models

This study presents a detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigation into the aerodynamic performance of the NREL Phase VI wind turbine, focusing on torque and power generation under different turbulence models. The primary objective was to analyse the effect of various turbulence models and their responses in wind turbine torque generation. Furthermore, it also investigates the distance effect on wind velocity deficit. The research utilizes 2D and 3D simulations of the S809 airfoil and the full rotor, examining the predictive capabilities of the k-epsilon, k-omega, and k-omega SST turbulence models. The study incorporates both experimental validation and wake analysis using the Gaussian wake model to assess wind velocity deficits. Simulations were conducted for a wind speed range of (6–10 m/s), with results indicating that the k-epsilon model provided the closest match to experimental data, particularly at higher wind speeds within the targeted range. Even though k-epsilon results had better agreement when validated with experimental data, theoretically k-omega (SST) should perform better as it combines k-epsilon and k-omega advantages in predicting the flow regardless of its farness from the wall. However, in simulations using the k-omega (SST), the separation of flow and the shear stress transients were only visible at wind speeds of 10 m/s or higher. Wake effects, on the other hand, were found to cause significant velocity deficits behind the turbine, following an exponential decay pattern. The findings offer valuable insights into improving wind turbine performance through turbulence model selection and wake impact analysis, providing practical guidelines for future wind energy optimizations.