Numerical efficiency evaluation of a vertical axis turbine equipped with 4 digits and 5 digits NACA airfoils

Abstract

In the current age of global energy crisis, a run for the use of renewable energy resources as the wind energy has gained a significant attention. The main objective of this study is the comparison between two wind turbine configurations. These two turbines have the same geometric parameters but one with a 4 digits NACA0018 blades and the other with 5 digits NACA63-415 blades. In this scientific paper, a numerical evaluation of the airfoil shape influence on the VAWT efficiency is done. For this study the CFD methods with Ansys Fluent software, are used. All the simulations are for unsteady flow at 1e06 Reynolds number value with SST turbulence model. At the design point the wind velocity is 12 m/s and for the wind turbine geometric features, the diameter is 3.25m and the height 4.87m. The power coefficient variation through tip speed ratio will be represented for each wind turbine configurations. To estimate the recirculation zone effects on the efficiency, the vorticity magnitude contours are presented for different positions of the blades. The results will indicate the feasibility of optimization of future wind turbine more complex airfoils.