Journal of Applied Mechanical Engineering

Abstract

Evaluation of Aerodynamic Forces over a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Blade through CFD analysis

M. Saqib Hameed and Farzeen Shahid

In the current age of global energy crisis, the production of energy through alternate energy resources has gained a significant attention. Wind as a source of energy is a very attractive due to the fact that fuel is free of cost in this case. This research is about the aerodynamic design of a VAWT blade using the analytical and CFD techniques for a small scale vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), aiming 1 kW power output which may be use for domestic purposes to power a single room. The blade design parameters and dimensions are taken aiming the required power output and analytical models are developed to evaluate the aerodynamic forces like lift and drag over the surface of the blade. These forces which are very helpful for the evaluation of the structural integrity of the VAWT blade are then found to be in a close agreement with CFD results which are simulated using commercial software, ANSYS 13.0. The static CFD model is developed at a selected pitch angle during a complete 360° where the aerodynamic forces evaluated are comparable with the analytical values at the similar location.