Marsh, P;
Ranmuthugala, D;
Penesis, I;
Thomas, G;
(2015)
Numerical investigation of the influence of blade helicity on the performance characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbines.
Renewable Energy
, 81
pp. 926-935.
10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.083.
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Abstract
Previous research has shown that helical vertical axis turbines exhibit lower torque fluctuation levels than straight-bladed turbines; however little is known of the impact of blade helicity on turbine performance characteristics. To investigate these relationships the hydrodynamic characteristics of straight and helical-bladed vertical axis turbines were investigated using Three-Dimensional (3D) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models using a commercial Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) solver. Simulations of power output, torque oscillations, and mounting forces were performed for turbines with overlap angles from 0° to 120° and section inclination angles from −15° to 45°. Results indicated that straight-bladed turbines with 0° blade overlap generated the highest power output. Helical turbines were found to generate decreasing power outputs as blade overlap angle increased due to the resultant blade inclination to the inflow. Blade section inclination to the inflow was also found to influence power output. Some benefits of helical-bladed turbines over their straight-bladed counterparts were established; helical turbine torque oscillation levels and mounting forces were reduced when compared to straight-bladed turbines. For both straight and helical-bladed turbines maximum mounting force levels were found to exceed the average force levels by more than 40%, with large cyclical loading forces identified.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Numerical investigation of the influence of blade helicity on the performance characteristics of vertical axis tidal turbines |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.083 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.083 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © 2015. This manuscript version is published under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Non-derivative 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This licence allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work for personal and non-commercial use providing author and publisher attribution is clearly stated. Further details about CC BY licences are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. |
| Keywords: | Vertical axis turbine, Helical-bladed, Straight-bladed, Computational fluid dynamics, Three dimensional, Ocean energy |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Mechanical Engineering |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1489755 |
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