Numerical Investigation of the Optimal Spatial Domain Discretization for the 2-D Analysis of a Darrieus Vertical-Axis Water Turbine

The optimal grid spacing and turbulence model for the 2D numerical analysis of a vertical-axis water turbine (VAWaterT) operating in a 2 m/s freestream current has been investigated. The results of five different spatial domain discretizations and two turbulence models (k-ω SST and k-ε RNG) have been compared, in order to gain the optimal y+ parameter distribution along the blade walls during a full rotor revolution. The resulting optimal mesh has appeared to be quite similar to that obtained for the numerical analysis of a vertical-axis wind turbine.




References:
[1] D.L.F. Gaden and E.L. Bibeau, "A numerical investigation into the
effect of diffusers on the performance of hydro kinetic turbines using a
validated momentum source turbine", Journal of Renewable Energy 35,
pp. 1152-1158, 2010.
[2] M. J. Khan, G. Bhuyan, M.T. Iqbal and J.E. Quaicoe, "Hydrokinetic
energy conversion systems and assessment of horizontal and vertical
axis turbines for river and tidal applications: A technology status
review", Journal of Applied Energy 86, pp. 1823-1835, 2009.
[3] Kirke B. K. and Lazauskas L., "Limitations of fixed pitch Darrieus
hydrokinetic turbines and the challenge of variable pitch", Renevable
Energy 36 pp. 893-897, 2011.
[4] S. Bernard, A. Georgescu, S. C. Georgescu, R. Susan-Resiga and I.
Anton, "Flow Investigation in Achard Turbine", Proceedings of the
Romanian Academy, Series A, Vol. 9, Number 2/2008.
[5] G. J. M. Darrieus, "Turbine having its Rotating Shaft Transverse to the
Flow of the Current", U.S. Patent No. 1,835,018, issued on Dec. 8,
1931.
[6] M. J. Khan, M. T. Iqbal and J. E. Quaicoe, "Design Considerations of a
Straight Bladed Darrieus Rotor for River Current Turbines", IEEE
International Symposium on Industrial Electronics, Montreal (Quebec),
9-13 July, 2006.
[7] S. Ferreira, H., Bijl, G. van Bussel and G. van Kuik, "Simulating
dynamic stall in a 2D VAWT: modeling strategy, verification and
validation with particle image velocimetry data", Journal of Physics:
Conference Series 75 (2007), 012023.
[8] H. Beri and Y. Yao, "Computational Analysis of Vertical Axis Wind
Turbine with Open-Able Airfoil, Asia-Pacific Power and Energy
Engineering Conference (APPEEC), Wuhan (China), 25-28 March,
2011.
[9] M. Shiono, K. Suzuki, S. Kiho, "Output Characteristics of Darrieus
Water Turbine with Helical Blades for Tidal Current Generations", 12th
International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, Kitakyush
(Japan), 26-31 May 2002.
[10] Fluent Inc., Fluent User-s Manual, 2006.
[11] R. M. Cummings, J. R. Forsythe, S. A. Morton and K. D. Squires,
"Computational challenges in high angle of attack flow prediction",
Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 39, No. 5. (July 2003), pp. 369-
384.
[12] M. Raciti Castelli, G. Ardizzon, L. Battisti, E. Benini, G. Pavesi,
"Modeling Strategy and Numerical Validation for a Darrieus Vertical
Axis Micro-Wind Turbine", ASME 2010 International Mechanical
Engineering Congress & Exposition, November 12-18, 2010,
Vancouver (British Columbia), IMECE2010-39548.
[13] M. O. L. Hansen and D. N. Soresen, "CFD model for Vertical Axis
Wind Turbine", European Wind Energy Conference, Copenhagen
(Denmark), 2-6 July 2001.
[14] A. Allet, S. Hallè and I. Paraschivoiu, "Numerical simulation of
dynamic stall around an airfoil in Darrieus motion", Journal of Solar
Energy Engineering, 121, pp. 69-79, February 1999.
[15] I. Paraschivoiu and A. Allet, "Aerodynamic analysis of the Darrieus
wind turbines including dynamic-stall effects", Journal of Propulsion
and Power 4, pp. 472-477, 1988.
[16] I. Paraschivoiu and C. Béguier, "Visualization, measurements and
calculations of dynamic stall for a similar motion of VAWT",
Proceedings of the European Wind Energy Conference, Herning
(Denmark), 1998.
[17] I. Paraschivoiu, Wind Turbine Design - With Emphasis on Darrieus
Concept, Polytechnic international Press, 2002.
[18] E. P. Wolfe and S. S. Ochs, "CFD calculations of S809 aerodynamic
characteristics", AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 1997, AIAA paper
97-0973.
[19] R. Howell, N. Qin, J. Edwards and N. Durrani, "Wind tunnel and
numerical study of a small vertical axis wind turbine", Journal of
Renewable Energy 35 pp. 412-422, 2010.
[20] G. H. Yu, X. C. Zhu and Z. H. Du, "Numerical simulation of a wind
turbine airfoil: dynamic stall and comparison with experiments", Power
and Energy Journal, Vol. 224, 2010.
[21] P. R. Spalart, "A One-Equation Turbulence Model for Aerodynamic
Flows", La Recherche Aerospatiale, 1994.
[22] F. R. Menter, "Two-Equation Eddy-Viscosity Turbulence Models for
Engineering Applications", AIAA Journal 32 (8), 1994.
[23] D. C. Wilcox, "Turbulence Modeling for CFD", DCW Industries Inc.,
La Canada (California), 1998.
[24] J. E. Bardina, P. G. Huang and T. J. Coakley, "Turbulence Modeling
Validation, Testing and Development", Technical Report 110446,
NASA, 1997.