A moment coefficient computational study of parametric drag-driven wind turbine at moderate tip speed ratios

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the CFD numerical investigation of novel drag-driven wind turbine blade inspired by spiral optimisation algorithm (SPO) and cycloid curve. In this study, six hybrid spiral geometries were analysed via CFD simulation using FLUENT based on URANS and SST numerical model. The simulated results of six shapes were compared against simulated conventional Savonius wind turbine. In terms of moment coefficient, all the turbines were simulated under similar computational configuration. The turbines were studied at two moderate tip speed ratios, which are λ = 0.59 and λ = 0.94, under constant freestream velocity of 8 m/s. The result shows that design shape S-4 displayed higher moment coefficient than Savonius wind turbine with an improvement of 7.2% in moment coefficient at λ = 0.59. However, at λ = 0.94, the percentage of improvement in moment coefficient is only 4%. It is observed that reduction in blade height and modification of blade curve configuration improve the moment of the rotor. The sharp edge presented by the hybrid spiral shape induces higher pressure gradient than Savonius wind turbine on the convex side of the blade.

KEYWORDS:

• Savonius wind turbine
• CFD
• wind energy
• sliding mesh

Acknowledgments

This research work was conducted under the Internal Research Grant of Universiti Malaysia Pahang RDU180389. We also thank UMP for providing the computing resources.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Universiti Malaysia Pahang [Grant No. RDU180389].

Notes on contributors

S.N. Ashwindran

S.N. Ashwindran was born in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia in 1991. He received the B.Eng degree in mechanical engineering from the Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pekan, Pahang in 2018 and currently pursuing his master of science degree in mechanical engineering at Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pekan,Pahang. Since 2018, he serves as a Research Assistant to the Energy Sustainbility Focus Group (ESFG). His masters research is on the design and development of wind turbine for the local region. He has published 3 publications as research paper in international journal or in proceedings of international conference. In addition, he has also won multiple awards in various exhibitions for his inventions. He is now working as a CFD engineer.

A.A. Azizuddin

A.A. Azizuddin was born in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia in 1974. He received the B.Eng. degree from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1997, M.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering from Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2005 and Ph.D degree in from Kyushu University, Japan in 2015. He was awarded a scholarship from Sime Darby Foundation to pursue his first degree. Subsequently, he served the company for 6 years after graduation in the field of oil and gas. His main responsible was for the design and supply of the boiler and cooling tower feedwater system to the downstream plants. Currently, he is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering Technology with Universiti Malaysia Pahang. As the member of the Energy Sustainbility Focus Group (ESFG), his research interest are mainly on renewable energy and sustainable air-conditioning system. He has published 15 publications as research paper in international journal or in proceeding of international conference.

A.N. Oumer

A.N. Oumer was born in Woldia Town, Ethiopia, in 1977.  He received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia in 2001 and 2006 respectively. He earned his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Malaysia in 2012. Prior to shifting to academia, he worked in various manufacturing and consultant industries for 7 years. Since 2013, he has been serving as a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering Technology at Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP). His research interests are in CFD methods and techniques, experimental nanofluids, renewable resources of energy, mathematical modeling of flows, pipeline flows and heat transfer simulation. He has published more than 40 publications as research papers in international journals or in proceedings of international conferences. Currently, he is an associate editor of Scopus indexed Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences (JMES).