Designing and simulation of wind turbine blades based on vertical axis wind turbine model

Abstract

This final year project is to designing and simulation of wind turbine blades based on Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) model. The implementation of wind energy conversion systems in the built environment renewed the interest and the research on Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT), which in this application present several advantages over Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT). The VAWT has an inherent unsteady aerodynamic behavior due to the variation of angle of attack with the angle of rotation. The complexity of the unsteady aerodynamics of the VAWT makes it extremely attractive to be analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models. Main purpose of wind turbine’s blade is to catch wind energy and transfer it to wind turbine’s motor. Blades of straight-bladed VAWT may be of uniform section and untwisted, making them relatively easy to fabricate or extrude. In this project, the main work is to understand the basic of a blade structure and to design it depending to the main purpose such as angle of attack, blades shape and etc. After completing design of the blade, simulations are done to make sure that these wind turbines can work and produce electricity.