Simulation and Optimisation of unsteady aerodynamic performance of a 2D VAWT rotor: With emphasis on airfoil design

Airfoil design plays an important role in improving the performance of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines(VAWTs). The aim of this thesis is to arrive at optimal airfoil geometries to enhance the performance of VAWTs and analyse the performance of these optimal airfoils under steady and unsteady operation conditions of the rotor. The airfoil design is...

Wake Deflection Technique for Vertical Axis Wind Turbines using Actuator Line Model in OpenFOAM

A Review of Urban Wind Energy Research: Aerodynamics and Other Challenges

Urban wind energy research is crucial for the success or failure of wind turbines installed in the built environment. Research in this field is fragmented into various research groups working on different topics in isolation with seemingly few efforts of integrating the various fields. This review aims at highlighting the synergies between the...

Integrated design of a semi-submersible floating vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) with active blade pitch control

A semi-submersible Tri-Floater has been designed to support a 6 MW vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) with active blade pitch control. Due to the low centre of gravity and large allowable floater tilt angle, a relatively small floater can be used to support a VAWT. Coupled simulations including hydrodynamics, mooring system, aerodynamics and...

Repetitive Control for Offshore Floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbine: Data-driven control for Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

The growing importance of renewable energy to meet the demands of growing population has driven much focus for research in the wind energy sector. Currently most of the power production in the wind energy sector is done using the Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT). due to its higher efficiency and reliability as compared to Vertical Axis Wind...

Dynamic Analysis of a Floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbine using the Actuator Cylinder Flow Theory

An ever-increasing demand for electricity pushes the wind energy industry to deep waters that favor floating concepts. Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) failed for onshore applications in the 1980s, but its advantages raise the potential for competitive floating designs and ultimately lowering the cost of energy. This thesis aims to (1) better...

Simulation Verification and Optimization of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine using CFD

In this research computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to model a vertical axis wind turbine. Well known turbulence models | i.e. the k-epsilon and k-omega SST model | are used and compared in their performance against each other and a set of experimental data. The formal research question is "What models are available for the simulation of...

Study of Design Load Cases for Multi-Megawatt Onshore Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

In the last years, large scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) are re-gaining a general interest in the wind energy sector as an alternative to Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs). However, the existing standards and guidelines for wind turbine certification do not include specific requirements for VAWT rotors. This thesis aims to study...

Airfoil Optimization for vertical axis wind turbines

This thesis addresses the process of airfoil optimization for vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). The airfoils are designed for large scale turbines above 5 MW. The VAWT concept is relevant for offshore floating wind energy, because of its low center of gravity (stability) and their simplicity (low maintenance). An optimal tip speed ratio of 4-4...

The near wake of the VAWT: 2D and 3D views of the VAWT aerodynamics

The analysis, modeling and design of the lift-driven Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) has challenged the wind energy community for many decades; this limited progress in knowledge has severely impaired the development of the VAWT, giving rise to the myth that the VAWT rotor is inherently inefficient (in comparison with the more conventional...

3D Stereo PIV study of tip vortex evolution on a vawt