Vertical Wind Research Articles

An Observational Study on the Rapid Intensification of Typhoon Chanthu (2021) near the Complex Terrain of Taiwan

Abstract Intensification of Typhoon Chanthu (2021) along the eastern coast of Taiwan was accompanied by pronounced asymmetry in eyewall convection dominated by wavenumber-1 features, as observed by a dense radar network in Taiwan. The maximum wind speed at 3-km altitude, retrieved from radar observations, exhibited a rapid increase of approximately 18 m s−1 within an 11-h period during the intensification stage, followed by a significant decrease of approximately 19 m s−1 within 8 h during the weakening stage. Namely, Chanthu underwent both rapid intensification (RI) and rapid weakening (RW) within the 24-h analyzed period, posing challenges for intensity forecasts. During the intensifying stages, the region of maximum eyewall convection asymmetry underwent a sudden cyclonic rotation from the eastern to the northern semicircle immediately after the initiation of terrain-induced boundary inflow from the south of the typhoon, as observed by surface station data. This abrupt rotation of eyewall asymmetry exhibited better agreement with radar-derived vertical wind shear (VWS) than that derived from global reanalysis data. This finding suggests that the meso-β-scale VWS is more representative for tropical cyclones than meso-α-scale VWS when the terrain-induced forcing predominates in the environmental conditions. Further examination of the radar-derived VWS indicated that the VWS profile pattern provided a more favorable environment for typhoon intensification. In summary, Chanthu’s RI was influenced by the three factors: 1) terrain-induced boundary inflow from the south of the typhoon, observed by surface station data; 2) low-level flow pointing toward the upshear-left direction; and 3) weak upper-level VWS. Significance Statement Tropical cyclone intensity change has been an important issue for both real-time operation and research, but the influence of terrain on intensity change has not been fully understood. Typhoon Chanthu (2021) underwent a significant intensity change near the complex terrain of Taiwan that was observed by a dense radar network. This study analyzes 24 h of radar and weather station data to investigate Chanthu’s evolution. The analyses indicate that the complex terrain affected the low-level flow near the TC. Such a change in flow pattern provided additional boundary inflow and a relatively favorable vertical wind shear pattern for TC intensification.

Study of Microphysical Signatures Based on Spectral Polarimetry during the RELAMPAGO Field Experiment in Argentina

Abstract Weather radars with dual-polarization capabilities enable the study of various characteristics of hydrometeors, including their size, shape, and orientation. Radar polarimetric measurements, coupled with Doppler information, allow for analysis in the spectral domain. This analysis can be leveraged to reveal valuable insight into the microphysics and kinematics of hydrometeors in precipitation systems. This paper uses spectral polarimetry to investigate precipitation microphysics and kinematics in storm environments observed during the Remote Sensing of Electrification, Lightning, and Mesoscale/Microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations (RELAMPAGO) field experiment in Argentina. This study uses range–height indicator scan measurements from a C-band polarimetric Doppler weather radar deployed during the field campaign. In this work, the impact of storm dynamics on hydrometeors is studied, including the size sorting of hydrometeors due to vertical wind shear. In addition, particle microphysical processes because of aggregation and growth of ice crystals in anvil clouds, as well as graupel formation resulting from the riming of ice crystals and dendrites, are also analyzed here. The presence of different particle size distributions because of the mixing of hydrometeors in a sheared environment and resulting size sorting has been reported using spectral differential reflectivity (sZdr) slope. Spectral reflectivity sZh and sZdr have also been used to understand the signature of ice crystal aggregation in an anvil cloud. The regions of pristine ice crystals are identified from vertical profiles of spectral polarimetric variables in anvil cloud because of sZh < 0 dB and sZdr values around 2 dB. It is also found that the growth process of these ice crystals causes a skewed bimodal sZh spectrum due to the presence of both pristine ice crystals and dry snow. Next, graupel formation due to riming has been studied, and it is found that the riming process produces sZh values of about 10 dB and corresponding sZdr values of 1 dB. This positive sZdr indicates the presence of needle/columnar secondary ice particles formed by ice multiplication processes in the riming zones. Last, the temporal evolution of a storm is investigated by analyzing changes in hydrometeor types with time and their influence on the spectral polarimetric variables.

Comparative analysis of the rapid intensification of two super cyclonic storms in the Arabian Sea

A comparative analysis of the rapid intensification (RI) of super cyclonic storms Chapala (2015) and Kyarr (2019) in the Arabian Sea is conducted using the North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone data, microwave sounding images, the NOAA OISST data and the ERA5 reanalysis data. Results show that the subtropical westerly jet stream and the Southern Hemisphere anticyclonic circulation led to the formation of an obvious double-channel outflow from the northern and southern sides of the two storm centers, and the substantial inflow appeared at the eastern boundary layer of both storms. These promoted the vertical ascent motion and release of the latent heat of condensation. A warm sea surface is a necessary but not dominant factor for the RI of cyclonic storms in the Arabian Sea. During the RI of Chapala and Kyarr, the deep vertical wind shear was less than 10 m s−1; moreover, the mid-level humidity conditions favored the RI of the two cyclonic storms. Chapala had a single warm core, whereas Kyarr had double warm cores in the vertical direction. The impacts of the latent heat of fusion is more obvious for Chapala, and the potential vorticity in its inner core increases from 4.4 PVU to 8.8 PVU, whereas the potential vorticity and vorticity in the inner core of Kyarr do not change significantly. Microwave detection images show that both Chapala and Kyarr were accompanied by the formation of eyewalls during the RI phase, and the radius of maximum wind decreased and the maximum wind speed increased during the eyewall-thinning process. Both Chapala and Kyarr passed through a positive anomaly region of maximum potential intensity during the RI phase, which increases the possibility to develop to higher intensity after genesis.

Overview of application options for vertical axis wind turbines

The article presents an analysis of the use of Savonius wind turbines with vertical axis of rotation. The first part presents an analysis of the literature with the dentification of the properties of the basic atmospheric parameters related to the air movement referred to as wind. Used mathematical descriptions used in the analysis of air movement and enabling the identification of basic thermodynamic parameters of wind turbines with a vertical axis of rotation were presented. Then, the historical background of the development of wind turbines with a vertical axis of rotation was presented, and constructions of this type currently used were described. Proposals for modification of the configuration and design of Savonius rotors and the impact of these activities on their efficiency were analyzed. These issues were presented in relation to the experimental work carried out in the international research centers. Obvious advantages and disadvantages of using this type of equipment in the field of wind energy were indicated.

Selection for Technology Acquisition using AHP: A Case Study of Tulip VAWT Effectiveness

The increasing energy demand in Indonesia, particularly from the industrial sector, has heightened the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by integrating new and renewable energy (NRE) sources into the energy mix. For the industrial sector, adopting NRE technologies presents options such as purchasing, manufacturing, or acquiring technology. This study focuses on selecting the most effective option for a small Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT), specifically the Tulip VAWT, by evaluating its hardware performance. The selection process utilizes subjective judgment and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), considering five key factors: installability, usability, affordability, availability, and maintainability. Results indicate that Technology Acquisition (TA) is the optimal choice, with an AHP score of 0.65, outperforming the purchasing options (0.322) and manufacturing options (0.296). These findings suggest that evaluating these five factors significantly impacts the decision-making process regarding adopting the Tulip VAWT. However, the study does not assess the effectiveness of the associated knowledge (software) or organizational factors, as no established methodology exists for this evaluation yet.

Investigation of The Effect of Phase Angle on The Aerodynamic Performance of Three-Bladed Helical Savonius Wind Turbines Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Method

In this study, the effect of the phase angle of the semicircular blades between the stages on the aerodynamic performance of the three-blade, double-stage helical Savonius wind turbines (HSWT), which are vertical axis wind turbines, was examined by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. In the Savonius wind turbine system, the drag force effect provides the most significant contribution to aerodynamic performance. Performance improvements that can affect drag force can provide significant advantages. For this purpose, three-bladed double-stage helical Savonius rotors with eccentricity L/H=1/2 and phase angles of the semicircular blades between the stages Ɵ=0°, 45° and 90° were designed. Solidworks R2018 is used for designs and ANSYS-Fluent 18.1 programs are used for analysis. The turbine with L/H=1/2 and Ɵ=90° was produced on a 3D printer and tested experimentally. Experiments were carried out in the T-490 air tunnel. The results obtained were used as a reference for numerical analysis and the ideal turbine model was tried to be determined. 10 different air velocities ranging between 3.83-20.35 m/s were used in the numerical analysis. As a result, an 11.64% increase in the drag force was observed by changing the phase angle from 0° to 45° in HSWT 1/2s. By changing the phase angle from 0° to 45° in HSWT 1/2s, a 10.77% rise in the drag coefficient was observed. It has been evaluated that the HSWT efficiency improved with the increment in drag force.

Comparing the atmospheric and ocean characteristics associated with two distinctly intensified pre‐monsoon tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal

AbstractTropical cyclone (TC) Amphan is analyzed in terms of the various factors that governed the intensification process associated with it and compared with Fani. Furthermore, the TC radial characteristics and ocean productivity are examined. Notably, both TCs formed in the Bay of Bengal during the pre‐monsoon seasons of 2020 and 2019, respectively. For this study, both ocean and atmospheric parameters from various sources including global analyses, satellite observations, and outputs from Model for Prediction Across Scales‐Atmosphere (MPAS‐A) and Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF‐ARW), are considered. The results indicate a gradual decrease in vertical wind shear during Fani. In the case of Amphan, the increase in mid‐tropospheric relative humidity values is found to be substantial. The sea surface cooling after the passage of Amphan was higher than in the case of Fani. The higher sea surface temperature in the Amphan case corresponds to the lower aerosol loading (partly because of lockdown measures) than that of Fani in the pre‐cyclone phase. And the decrease (increase) in aerosol loading coincides with an increase (decrease) in the direct radiative forcing at the ocean surface. The Madden–Julian Oscillation played a greater role in the cyclogenesis of Fani, but Kelvin waves offered a major support in the case of Amphan. The warmer sea surface, higher tropical cyclone heat potential, and conducive ocean and atmospheric setting together supported the further intensification of Amphan to the supercyclone stage. The difference in chlorophyll concentration showed a significant variation, with higher positive values seen in the case of Amphan implicating greater vertical mixing. The numerical modeling effort indicated superior performance of MPAS‐A compared to WRF‐ARW in simulating the radial parameters of the TCs.

Aeolus wind lidar observations of the 2019/2020 quasi-biennial oscillation disruption with comparison to radiosondes and reanalysis

Abstract. The quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) was unexpectedly disrupted for only the second time in the historical record during the 2019/2020 boreal winter. As the dominant mode of atmospheric variability in the tropical stratosphere and a significant source of seasonal predictability globally, understanding the drivers behind this unusual behaviour is very important. Here, novel data from Aeolus, the first Doppler wind lidar (DWL) in space, are used to observe the 2019/2020 QBO disruption. Aeolus is the first satellite able to observe winds at high resolution on a global scale, and it is therefore a uniquely capable platform for studying the evolution of the disruption and the broader circulation changes triggered by it. This study therefore contains the first direct wind observations of the QBO from space, and it exploits measurements from a special Aeolus scanning mode, implemented to observe this disruption as it happened. Aeolus observes easterly winds of up to 20 m s−1 in the core of the disruption jet during July 2020. By co-locating with radiosonde measurements from Singapore and the ERA5 reanalysis, comparisons of the observed wind structures in the tropical stratosphere are produced, showing differences in equatorial wave activity during the disruption period. Local zonal wind biases are found in both Aeolus and ERA5 around the tropopause, and the average Aeolus-ERA5 Rayleigh horizontal line-of-sight random error is found to be 7.58 m s−1. The onset of the QBO disruption easterly jet occurs 5 d earlier in Aeolus observations compared with the reanalysis. This discrepancy is linked to Kelvin wave variances that are 3 to 6 m2 s−2 higher in Aeolus compared with ERA5, centred on regions of maximum vertical wind shear in the tropical tropopause layer that are up to twice as sharp. The enhanced lower-stratospheric westerly winds which are known to help disrupt the QBO, perhaps with increasing frequency as the climate changes, are also stronger in Aeolus observations, with important implications for the future predictability of such disruptions. An investigation into differences in the equivalent depth of the most dominant Kelvin waves suggests that slower, shorter-vertical-wavelength waves break more readily in Aeolus observations compared with the reanalysis. This analysis therefore highlights how Aeolus and future DWL satellites can deepen our understanding of the QBO, its disruptions and the tropical upper-troposphere lower-stratosphere region more generally.

Benefit Through Vehicles Passing on Highways in Electrical Power Generation

The turbulent airflow caused by vehicular movement on highways is a source of kinetic energy for wind energy (WE) that can be utilized to power highway lighting and communications. The purpose of the current work is to design, install and measure the extent of benefit from small wind turbines along a Highway (HW) in one of the governorates of Iraq - Dohuk. In this investigation, wind speed measurements are close to a significant HW on the Dohuk-Zakho-Iraq (DZI) Road. The three positional characteristics are examined for the wind turbines' optimal position. These factors are heights above ground level, lateral distances from the road shoulder, and the wind turbines' highway-facing orientation. It is possible to supply electrical power for side lighting of external roads via vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT), which are produced from disturbances in air movement. In addition, a battery pack has been used to store energy to sustain fluctuations caused by stopped vehicle traffic and to ensure load operation in the event of a wind turbine stop. A 500W capacity vertical axis windmill is being worked on. The suggested landscaping technique has generated exceptional and long-lasting effects for a price of under 350 US dollars.

The Lower Atmospheric Characteristics of Dust Storms Using Ground-Based Sensor Data: A Comparative Analysis of Two Cases in Jinan, China

Two severe dust storm (DS) events (15–17 March and 28–29 March) hit northern China in 2021 consecutively. The lower atmospheric vertical dynamic and thermal structures during the two cases were compared using the ground-based sensor data from the microwave radiometer and radar wind profiler, combined with the environmental and meteorological observations data in Jinan, China. It was found that both cases occurred under the background of cold vortexes over northeastern China. The dust was transported through the cold air on the northwest route. During the dust period, 2–3 km was the west or northwest airflow, and below 2 km was the northeast wind. The variation in the dynamic structure determined the duration of the DS. During the DS maintenance phase, the vertical wind shear (VWS) below 3 km measured approximately 10 m∙(s∙km)−1. The increased VWS during the dust intrusion period facilitated the transportation of dust. In contrast, the more significant VWS was not conducive to the maintenance of DS, and the shift to south wind control in the upper middle layer indicated the weakening of DS. In both cases, we observed a cliff-like decrease in relative humidity as a prominent indicator of dust outbreaks, occurring approximately 2–5 h beforehand. The diurnal difference between the vertical temperature and relative humidity during the dust maintenance period was found to be insignificant.

Enhanced Tropical Cyclone Precipitation Prediction in the Northwest Pacific Using Deep Learning Models and Ensemble Techniques

This study focuses on optimizing precipitation forecast induced by tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Northwest Pacific region, with lead times ranging from 6 to 72 h. The research employs deep learning models, such as U-Net, UNet3+, SE-Net, and SE-UNet3+, which utilize precipitation forecast data from the Global Forecast System (GFS) and real-time GFS environmental background data using a U-Net structure. To comprehensively make use of the precipitation forecasts from these models, we additionally use probabilistic matching (PM) and simple averaging (AVR) in rainfall prediction. The precipitation data from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission serves as the rainfall observation. The results demonstrate that the root mean squared errors (RMSEs) of U-Net, UNet3+, SE-UNet, SE-UNet3+, AVR, and PM are lowered by 8.7%, 10.1%, 9.7%, 10.0%, 11.4%, and 11.5%, respectively, when compared with the RMSE of the GFS TC precipitation forecasts, while the mean absolute errors are reduced by 9.6%, 11.3%, 9.0%, 12.0%, 12.8%, and 13.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the neural network model improves the precipitation threat scores (TSs). On average, the TSs of U-Net, UNet3+, SE-UNet, SE-UNet3+, AVR, and PM are raised by 12.8%, 21.3%, 19.3%, 20.7%, 22.5%, and 22.9%, respectively, compared with the GFS model. Notably, AVR and PM outperform all other individual models, with PM’s performance slightly better than AVR’s. The most important feature variables in optimizing TC precipitation forecast in the Northwest Pacific region based on the UNet-based neural network include GFS precipitation forecast data, land and sea masks, latitudinal winds at 500 hPa, and vertical winds at 500 hPa.

Understanding the Inter-Model Spread of PDO’s Impact on Tropical Cyclone Frequency over the Western North Pacific in CMIP6 Models

This work investigates the inter-model diversity of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation’s (PDO) impact on tropical cyclone frequency (TCF) over the Western North Pacific (WNP) from the historical simulation of twenty-two Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models. The impact of the PDO is expressed as the TCF difference between the positive and negative PDO phases. The comparison between the models with high PDO skill and low PDO skill shows that the PDO-related sea surface temperature (SST) gradient between the western and central tropical Pacific plays an important role in changing the large-scale atmospheric dynamic fields for TC genesis and, thus, the TCF over the WNP. This SST gradient also significantly contributes to the inter-model spread of PDO’s impact on TCF across the 22 CMIP6 models. We, therefore, stress that the PDO-related eastward SST gradient between the western and central tropical Pacific triggers the lower troposphere westerly and eastward extending of the monsoon trough over the WNP. The moistening of the atmosphere and enhancing ascending motion in the mid-troposphere promote convection, leading to the easterly wind anomaly over the upper troposphere, which reduces the vertical wind shear. Those favorable dynamic conditions consistently promote the TC formation over the southeastern part of the Western North Pacific. Our results highlight that PDO could impact the WNP TCF through its associated tropical SST gradient.

Computational fluid dynamics analysis on performance assessment of Darrieus-type vertical axis wind turbine using NACA0016, NACA0019 and NACA0020 airfoil sections

The efficiency of a vertical-axis wind turbine is remarkably less than a horizontal-axis wind turbine and consequently, the most important challenge of the former one is to enhance its aerodynamic performance. An earlier study shows that the selection of an efficient airfoil shape is an important criterion for enhancing the overall performance of a wind turbine. The objective of the present work is to perform the two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation of Darrieus Vertical axis wind turbine using NACA0016, NACA0019 and NACA0020 airfoils which are neither too thick nor too thin. Furthermore, the performance of these three airfoils is compared with two established airfoils, namely NACA0015 and NACA0018. The result reveals that the overall power coefficient of NACA0019 airfoils resulting from the CFD simulation is significantly higher than that of NACA0015. Therefore, the NACA0019 airfoil may be considered one of the effective alternative airfoils for the Darrieus VAWT. Highlights Simulation of vertical axis wind turbine using NACA0016, NACA0019 and NACA0020 airfoils Unsteady URANS studies are carried out to investigate the performance of the airfoils Among the blade profiles studied in this work, NACA 0019 offers superior fluid mechanical performance

Profiling the molecular destruction rates of temperature and humidity as well as the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation in the convective boundary layer

Abstract. A simultaneous deployment of Doppler, temperature, and water-vapor lidars is able to provide profiles of molecular destruction rates and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation in the convective boundary layer (CBL). Horizontal wind profiles and profiles of vertical wind, temperature, and moisture fluctuations are combined, and transversal temporal autocovariance functions (ACFs) are determined for deriving the dissipation and molecular destruction rates. These are fundamental loss terms in the TKE as well as the potential temperature and mixing ratio variance equations. These ACFs are fitted to their theoretical shapes and coefficients in the inertial subrange. Error bars are estimated by a propagation of noise errors. Sophisticated analyses of the ACFs are performed in order to choose the correct range of lags of the fits for fitting their theoretical shapes in the inertial subrange as well as for minimizing systematic errors due to temporal and spatial averaging and micro- and mesoscale circulations. We demonstrate that we achieve very consistent results of the derived profiles of turbulent variables regardless of whether 1 or 10 s time resolutions are used. We also show that the temporal and spatial length scales of the fluctuations in vertical wind, moisture, and potential temperature are similar with a spatial integral scale of ≈160 m at least in the mixed layer (ML). The profiles of the molecular destruction rates show a maximum in the interfacial layer (IL) and reach values of ϵm≃7×10-4 g2 kg−2 s−1 for mixing ratio and ϵθ≃1.6×10-3 K2 s−1 for potential temperature. In contrast, the maximum of the TKE dissipation is reached in the ML and amounts to ≃10-2 m2 s−3. We also demonstrate that the vertical wind ACF coefficient kw∝w′2‾ and the TKE dissipation ϵ∝w′2‾3/2. For the molecular destruction rates, we show that ϵm∝m′2‾w′2‾1/2 and ϵθ∝θ′2‾w′2‾1/2. These equations can be used for parameterizations of ϵ, ϵm, and ϵθ. All noise error bars are derived by error propagation and are small enough to compare the results with previous observations and large-eddy simulations. The results agree well with previous observations but show more detailed structures in the IL. Consequently, the synergy resulting from this new combination of active remote sensors enables the profiling of turbulent variables such as integral scales, variances, TKE dissipation, and the molecular destruction rates as well as deriving relationships between them. The results can be used for the parameterization of turbulent variables, TKE budget analyses, and the verification of large-eddy simulations.

On the use of secondary rotors for vertical axis wind turbine power take‐off

AbstractThis work introduces and explores the use of secondary rotors for vertical axis wind turbine power take‐off. A parametric framework based on optimally designed secondary rotors is developed which calculates the maximum achievable efficiency of power conversion between the primary and secondary rotors. It is shown that practicable rotor designs can convert between 87% and 90% of primary rotor power to the secondary rotors whilst facilitating nacelle mass reductions between 85% and 87% compared to traditional reference turbine drivetrains.

Westward shift of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern Indian Ocean

Tropical cyclones (TCs), commonly called cyclones in the southern Indian Ocean (SIO), represent one of the most devastating disasters in the oceanfront regions of Africa. The present study explores the long-term tendency of annual mean TC genesis location in the SIO. A notable westward shift is detected in the SIO TC genesis longitude since 1979, which is linked to an increase in the TC genesis frequency in the southwestern SIO and a decrease in the TC genesis frequency in the northeastern SIO. The dipole trend pattern of the TC genesis frequency in the SIO is intimately linked to the weakening of the westerly vertical wind shear over the western SIO and the strengthening of the easterly vertical wind shear over the eastern SIO, resulting from a reduced meridional temperature gradient. The weakened meridional temperature gradient is attributed to the enhanced warming of the subtropical troposphere that is a response of atmospheric temperature to global warming. Our study implies a potential increase in the risks faced by coastal and island countries in eastern Africa.

Vertical Wind Profiles in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere Driven by Meteor Radar and Ionospheric Connection Explorer Observations Over the Korean Peninsula

AbstractMeteor radar observations provide wind data ranging from 80 to 100 km altitude, while the Michaelson Interferometer for Global High‐resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) onboard the Ionospheric Connection Explorer satellite offers wind data above 90 km altitude. This study aims to generate wind profiles in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere by combining the winds derived from meteor radar and MIGHTI observations over the Korean Peninsula from January 2020 to December 2021. The wind profiles derived from the two instruments are continuous at night, but they show discrepancies during the day. The atomic oxygen 557.7 nm (green line) emission intensity measured by MIGHTI peaks at approximately 100 km during the day and 94 km at night. The vertical gradient of the airglow volume emission rate is more pronounced during the day. These differences can cause day‐night differences in the MIGHTI wind retrieval accuracy, potentially leading to discrepancies during the day.

Review of different vertical axis wind turbine modeling methods

Wind energy can be used as an inexhaustible option for human consumption. Wind turbines offer a promising solution for off-grid areas. Darrieus turbine is one of the types of turbines that can be more efficient than other types if it is used by knowing its characteristics. The complex dynamic mechanism of the flow around the machine has led to its aerodynamic optimization problems remaining complex. This article reviews the applied methods in modeling vertical axis turbines and implicitly shows the turbine operation by presenting the results of these methods. Knowing these methods is important because each has its advantages and disadvantages and should be selected depending on the purpose of the research. One of the problems with Darrieus turbines is their poor start-up, which has been little researched so far. Finally, a suitable method that can model the start-up is introduced.

A Numerical Study of Blade Geometry Effects in a Vertical-Axes Wind Turbines

Several geometrical elements influence the aerodynamic properties of the Darrieus vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). Many extant studies have examined properties, such as solidity, pitching axis position (x/c), length of chord (c), blade quantity (N), diameter (d) of the rotor, and aspect ratio. However, not many have examined the shape of the airfoil (AF), which is a vital property that remains to be thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this present study used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate many airfoils blade characteristics, such as blade thickness (BT), maximum camber ratio (MCR), MCR location (MCRL), and air speed (AS), to determine their impact on VAWT performance. The results demonstrate a blade thickness BT of 10 to 12%, MCR of 0 to 22%, and MCRL of 24 to 23% yield a comparatively high coefficient of power, adequate optimal blade rotation to airspeed ratio (TSR), broader operational area, and high band efficiency while air velocities of 15 to 10% yield a comparatively higher power coefficient.

Observed Relationships between Sea Surface Temperature, Vertical Wind Shear, Tropical Organized Deep Convection, and Radiative Effects

Abstract Organized deep convective activity has been routinely monitored by satellite precipitation radar from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Precipitation Mission (GPM). Organized deep convective activity is found to increase not only with sea surface temperature (SST) above 27°C, but also with low-level wind shear. Precipitation shows a similar increasing relationship with both SST and low-level wind shear, except for the highest low-level wind shear. These observations suggest that the threshold for organized deep convection and precipitation in the tropics should consider not only SST, but also vertical wind shear. The longwave cloud radiative feedback, measured as the tropospheric longwave cloud radiative heating per amount of precipitation, is found to generally increase with stronger organized deep convective activity as SST and low-level wind shear increase. Organized deep convective activity, the longwave cloud radiative feedback, and cirrus ice cloud cover per amount of precipitation also appear to be controlled more strongly by SST than by the deviation of SST from its tropical mean. This study hints at the importance of non-thermodynamic factors such as vertical wind shear for impacting tropical convective structure, cloud properties, and associated radiative energy budget of the tropics. Significance Statement This study uses tropical satellite observations to demonstrate that vertical wind shear affects the relationship between sea surface temperature and tropical organized deep convection and precipitation. Shear also affects associated cloud properties and how clouds affect the flow of radiation in the atmosphere. Although how vertical wind shear affects convective organization has long been studied in the mesoscale community, the study attempts to apply mesoscale theory to explain the large-scale mean organization of tropical deep convection, cloud properties, and radiative feedbacks. The study also provides a quantitative observational baseline of how vertical wind shear modifies cloud radiative effects and convective organization, which can be compared to numerical simulations.