Wake and wind farm aerodynamics of vertical axis wind turbines

The development of offshore wind energy, especially the steps towards deep water and/or higher density wind farms, revives the prospects of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). Because VAWTs may reduce the cost of floating structures, there is a potential to lower energy costs. However, VAWTs are often assumed to be less efficient and less...

Experimental study of the wake interaction between two vertical axis wind turbines

Wakes and wake interactions in wind turbine arrays diminish energy output and raise the risk of structural fatigue; hence, comprehending the features of rotor–wake interactions is of practical relevance. Previous studies suggest that vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) can facilitate a quicker wake recovery. This study experimentally...

On the wake deflection of vertical axis wind turbines by pitched blades

Wake losses are a critical consideration in wind farm design. The ability to steer and deform wakes can result in increased wind farm power density and reduced energy costs and can be used to optimize wind farm designs. This study investigates the wake deflection of a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) experimentally, emphasizing the effect of...

Wake scaling of actuator discs in different aspect ratios

The wake recovery from planar porous actuators that surrogate the effect of wind turbines is investigated, focusing on rectangular shapes for vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). We proposed an effective mixing diameter D∗ to scale the streamwise momentum recovery for actuators of arbitrary shape. The length-scale D∗ is given by the ratio...