Computational aerodynamic analysis of a small wind turbine

Abstract

The growing climate change issues and the ongoing energy crisis stipulate further exploitation of renewable energy sources and the development of systems capable to efficiently generate clean energy. Among the most promising are wind turbines, that come in different shapes and sizes. Small-scale wind turbines are economic and particularly suitable for small consumers and rural areas. They are not too common, and further research into their performance is necessary. This paper focuses on the design and aerodynamic performance of a small horizontal-axis wind turbine. Its rotor geometry is described while its basic aerodynamic coefficients, power and thrust coefficients, are computed by finite volume method in ANSYS Fluent. Flow is assumed as incompressible and viscous, while Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are closed by different turbulence models. Wind turbine aerodynamic performance is estimated, and different flow visualizations are provided, particularly focusing on the wind turbine wake.