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Experimental and numerical studies on the performance and surface streamlines on the blades of a horizontal-axis wind turbine

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Abstract

Investigating laminar separation over the turbine blade of a horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) has been considered an important task to improve the aerodynamic performance of a wind turbine. To better understand the laminar separation phenomena, in this study, the aerodynamic forces of a SD8000 airfoil (representing the sectional blade shape) in the steady-state conditions were first predicted using an incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver with the γ–Re θt and k–k L–ω transition models. By comparing simulation and experimental results, the k–k L–ω transition model was chosen to simulate the laminar separation on three-dimensional (3D) turbine blade. Experimentally, a HAWT with three blades was then tested in a close-circuit wind tunnel between the tip speed ratios (TSRs) of 2 and 7 at the wind speed of 10 m/s. In addition, through computational fluid dynamics, the turbine performance and flow characteristics on the blade as blade is rotating were investigated. It is shown that 3D simulations agreed well with the experimental results with regard to the mechanical power of the HAWT at the testing TSRs. Moreover, the separation and reattachment lines on the suction surface of the turbine blade were also observed through the skin friction line, indicating that laminar separation moved toward the trailing edge with the increasing TSR at the blade tip region.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, through Grant NSC 102-2221-E-006-084-MY3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wind Power Technology Center, China Steel Corporation, No. 1, Chung Kang Rd., Hsiao Kang, Kao-Hsiung, 81233, Taiwan

    Chi-Jeng Bai

  2. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan

    Wei-Cheng Wang & Po-Wei Chen

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  1. Chi-Jeng Bai
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  2. Wei-Cheng Wang
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  3. Po-Wei Chen
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Correspondence to Wei-Cheng Wang.

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Bai, CJ., Wang, WC. & Chen, PW. Experimental and numerical studies on the performance and surface streamlines on the blades of a horizontal-axis wind turbine. Clean Techn Environ Policy 19, 471–481 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1232-x

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