Optimization of the position of Savonius turbines mounted on a hybrid vehicle by CFD analysis

ABSTRACT

This work presents° the results of numerical simulations of the airflow around a Notchback type vehicle on which two different models of wind turbines are mounted in three positions with the aim of determining the model and the most aerodynamic position. The models are made up of two horizontal circular Savonius turbines with the following configurations: the models A with the right generators and the models B with the lateral generators. Incompressible 3D numerical simulations at the stationary state of the equations of Navier-Stokes as well as the realizable k-ε turbulence model with Menter-Lechner wall functions were performed using the Fluent solver. The results have shown that for the drag and lift coefficients of the base vehicle we, respectively, have 0.301 and 0.142. The results related to Turbine A models show that the drag coefficients for the roof position is 0.567; they are 0.457 for the tailgate position and 0.32 for the front of the vehicle; concerning the turbine B models the results are, respectively, 0.586, 0.457, and 0.329 for the same positions and all obtained at 90° turbine angles. We have also obtained a maximum Cp of 0.219 at TSR = 0.8 for our turbine. Configuration A is the most aerodynamic and the most optimal front position.

KEYWORDS:

• Notchback vehicle
• Savonius turbines
• numerical simulations
• realizable k-ε turbulence
• positions
• drag coefficients

Acknowledgments

The authors greatly thank the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Integrated Manufacturing of the FOTSO Victor Institute of Technology of the University of Dschang for the availability of specialized laboratories, which enabled us write this paper.