Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate Design
For the past decade, research on vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) has garnered immense interest due to their omnidirectional characteristic, especially the lift-type VAWT. The H-rotor Darrieus VAWT operates based on the lift generated by aerofoil blades and typically possesses higher efficiency t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/19/6925 |
| _version_ | 1797479638064168960 |
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| author | Shern-Khai Ung Wen-Tong Chong Shabudin Mat Jo-Han Ng Yin-Hui Kok Kok-Hoe Wong |
| author_facet | Shern-Khai Ung Wen-Tong Chong Shabudin Mat Jo-Han Ng Yin-Hui Kok Kok-Hoe Wong |
| author_sort | Shern-Khai Ung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For the past decade, research on vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) has garnered immense interest due to their omnidirectional characteristic, especially the lift-type VAWT. The H-rotor Darrieus VAWT operates based on the lift generated by aerofoil blades and typically possesses higher efficiency than the drag-type Savonius VAWT. However, the open-ended blades generate tip loss effects that reduce the power output. Wingtip devices such as winglets and endplates are commonly used in aerofoil design to increase performance by reducing tip losses. In this study, a CFD simulation is conducted using the sliding mesh method and the <i>k-ω SST</i> turbulence model on a two-bladed NACA0018 VAWT. The aerodynamic performance of a VAWT with offset, symmetric V, asymmetric and triangular endplates are presented and compared against the baseline turbine. The simulation was first validated with the wind tunnel experimental data published in the literature. The simulation showed that the endplates reduced the swirling vortex and improved the pressure distribution along the blade span, especially at the blade tip. The relationship between TSR regimes and the tip loss effect is also reported in the paper. Increasing VAWT performance by using endplates to minimise tip loss is a simple yet effective solution. However, the improvement of the power coefficient is not remarkable as the power degradation only involves a small section of the blades. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:48:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2436adca22684014a3d06fa51c348096 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:48:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-2436adca22684014a3d06fa51c3480962023-11-23T20:10:11ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-09-011519692510.3390/en15196925Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate DesignShern-Khai Ung0Wen-Tong Chong1Shabudin Mat2Jo-Han Ng3Yin-Hui Kok4Kok-Hoe Wong5Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri 79200, MalaysiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaInstitute for Vehicle Systems and Engineering (IVeSE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, MalaysiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri 79200, MalaysiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri 79200, MalaysiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton Malaysia, Iskandar Puteri 79200, MalaysiaFor the past decade, research on vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) has garnered immense interest due to their omnidirectional characteristic, especially the lift-type VAWT. The H-rotor Darrieus VAWT operates based on the lift generated by aerofoil blades and typically possesses higher efficiency than the drag-type Savonius VAWT. However, the open-ended blades generate tip loss effects that reduce the power output. Wingtip devices such as winglets and endplates are commonly used in aerofoil design to increase performance by reducing tip losses. In this study, a CFD simulation is conducted using the sliding mesh method and the <i>k-ω SST</i> turbulence model on a two-bladed NACA0018 VAWT. The aerodynamic performance of a VAWT with offset, symmetric V, asymmetric and triangular endplates are presented and compared against the baseline turbine. The simulation was first validated with the wind tunnel experimental data published in the literature. The simulation showed that the endplates reduced the swirling vortex and improved the pressure distribution along the blade span, especially at the blade tip. The relationship between TSR regimes and the tip loss effect is also reported in the paper. Increasing VAWT performance by using endplates to minimise tip loss is a simple yet effective solution. However, the improvement of the power coefficient is not remarkable as the power degradation only involves a small section of the blades.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/19/6925endplatewingtip deviceblade tip lossesDarrieus VAWTCFD |
| spellingShingle | Shern-Khai Ung Wen-Tong Chong Shabudin Mat Jo-Han Ng Yin-Hui Kok Kok-Hoe Wong Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate Design Energies endplate wingtip device blade tip losses Darrieus VAWT CFD |
| title | Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate Design |
| title_full | Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate Design |
| title_fullStr | Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate Design |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate Design |
| title_short | Investigation into the Aerodynamic Performance of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Endplate Design |
| title_sort | investigation into the aerodynamic performance of a vertical axis wind turbine with endplate design |
| topic | endplate wingtip device blade tip losses Darrieus VAWT CFD |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/19/6925 |
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