Performance evaluation of high-lift hydrofoils with a flap used in the design of horizontal-axis hydrokinetic turbines

Abstract

The hydrodynamic performance and the flow field of two horizontal-axis hydrokinetic turbines with and without a high-lift hydrofoil with a flap were investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. For improving the accuracy of the numerical simulation, the user-defined function (UDF) of 6-degrees of freedom (6-DoF) was used in the Ansys Fluent software. Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations coupled to the SST 𝑘 − 𝜔 turbulence model were employed during the simulation. A three-dimensional model of both of the turbines with three blades was conducted for obtaining the performance curve of the power coefficient (𝐶𝑃) versus the tip speed ratio (TSR). The maximum power coefficients (𝐶𝑃𝑀𝑎𝑥) of the hydrokinetic turbines with and without a high-lift hydrofoil arrangement were 0.5050 and 0.419, respectively. Experimental data from the literature were used for the validation of the numerical results, specifically for the case when a rotor with traditional blades is utilized. In general, the simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental data.

Systematic Review of Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling and Simulation Techniques Employed in Vertical Axis Hydrokinetic Turbines

“…Rubio-Clemente et al, also provided that the numerical simulation accuracy was improved by utilizing ANSYS Fluent software, which incorporated a 6-DoF user-defined function and URANS equations. This enhanced the performance of the SST k − ω turbulence model [41]. The software ANSYS Fluent was employed to conduct 2D simulations aimed at examining the influence of geometrical parameters on the operating coefficient of H-Darrieus were carried out by Cardona-Cárdenas et al,.…”