NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TURBULENT FLOW AROUND DARRIEUS AND SAVONIUS ROTORS

Abstract

The study of unsteady processes during the flow around the rotors of vertical-axis wind turbines was carried out based on the Navier-Stokes equations. General definition of the coupled problem on vertical-axis wind turbines rotors aerodynamics and dynamics is formulated. The solution to the system of initial equations is obtained using an implicit finite-volume numerical algorithm based on the method of artificial compressibility and multi-block structured grids. A code for the calculation of vertical-axis wind turbines rotors aerodynamic and power characteristics is developed on the base of Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible fluids. Two types of Darrieus and Savonius rotors with different geometric parameters and number of blades were calculated. The influence of Reynolds numbers, tip-speed-ratios and solidity on the power characteristics of the rotors has been established.