A Study of Wind Turbine Wakes in Complex Terrain Through RANS Simulation and SCADA Data

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Astolfi ◽  
Francesco Castellani ◽  
Ludovico Terzi

This work deals with wind turbine wakes in complex terrain. The test case is a cluster of four 2.3 MW wind turbines, sited in a very complex terrain. Their performances are studied through supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data, suggesting a relevant role of the terrain in distorting the wake of the upstream turbines. The experimental evidences stimulate a deeper comprehension through numerical modeling: computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are run, using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) formulation. A novel way of elaborating the output of the simulations is proposed, providing metrics for quantifying the three-dimensional (3D) evolution of the wake. The main outcome of the numerical analysis is that the terrain distorts the wind flow so that the wake profile is severely asymmetric with respect to the lateral displacement. Further, the role of orography singularities is highlighted in dividing the wake front, thus inducing faster wake recovery with respect to flat terrain. This interpretation is confirmed by SCADA data analysis.

Author(s):  
Zhang Lisheng ◽  
Jiang Jin ◽  
Xiao Zhihuai ◽  
Li Yanhui

In this paper numerical simulations were conducted to analyze the effects of design parameters and distribution of balancing-hole on the axial-force of a partial emission pump. The studied pump is a single stage pump with a Barske style impeller. Based on the original impeller, we designed 7 pumps with different balancing-hole diameters and the partial emission pump equipped with different impellers were simulated employing the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software Fluent 12.1 to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for three-dimensional steady flow. A sensitivity analysis of the numerical model was performed with the purpose of balancing the contradiction of numerical accuracy and the cost of calculation. The results showed that, with increasing of the capacity, the axial force varies little. The diameter of the inner balancing-hole plays a dominant role of reducing axial-force of partial emission pump, the axial-force decreases with increasing of inner balancing-hole diameter on the whole range of operation, the axial-force of impeller without inner balancing-hole is approximately 3 times larger than that of impeller with inner balancing-hole. While the diameter of outer balancing-hole has a reverse effects compared with that of inner balancing-hole. With increasing of outer balancing-hole, the axial force increases accordingly.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Cong Liu ◽  
Jianhua Wang ◽  
Decheng Wan

In the present work, a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS)-overset method is used to numerically investigate self-propulsion and turning circle maneuver in waves for a container ship. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver naoe-FOAM-SJTU is used for the numerical computations of the fully appended Duisburg Test Case ship model. Overset grids are used to handle the motions of the ship hull appended with the propeller and the rudder. Open source toolbox waves2Foam is used to prevent wave reflection in the computational domain. The current numerical method is validated by comparing the ship speed in the self-propulsion case between CFD and Experimental Fluid Dynamics (EFD). Predicted ship 6-DOF motions, hydrodynamic forces, free surfaces, and inflow of the propeller are presented. The propulsion characteristic is mainly studied. Assuming the thrust identification method works even in unsteady conditions, the wake fraction and propulsion efficiency are discussed. The effect of orbital motion of water particle and ship motion on the propulsion performance are identified. In conclusion, the present RANS-overset method is a reliable approach to directly simulate self-propulsion and turning circle maneuver in waves.


Fluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 285
Author(s):  
Ian Jay T. Matias ◽  
Louis Angelo M. Danao ◽  
Binoe E. Abuan

Two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are employed to investigate the effects of adding a circular-arc-shaped windshield on the performance of a Banki type vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), particularly to the application where the VAWT is harnessing wind energy in highway caused by the passing vehicles. Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) is the computational approach used to calculate the turbulent flow within the domain. Two sets of simulation cases based on two different vehicles (i.e., car and a bus) are performed with varying arc-length of the windshield. The results show that the windshield provides an increase in the energy captured by the VAWT by up to 16.14% compared to no windshield case when the car model is used. In contrast, windshield in all the simulation cases using a bus model gives a negative effect to VAWT performance where the worst case yields −64.77%.


Author(s):  
Ahmed M Nagib Elmekawy ◽  
Hassan A Hassan Saeed ◽  
Sadek Z Kassab

Three-dimensional CFD simulations are carried out to study the increase of power generated from Savonius vertical axis wind turbines by modifying the blade shape and blade angel of twist. Twisting angle of the classical blade are varied and several proposed novel blade shapes are introduced to enhance the performance of the wind turbine. CFD simulations have been performed using sliding mesh technique of ANSYS software. Four turbulence models; realizable k -[Formula: see text], standard k - [Formula: see text], SST transition and SST k -[Formula: see text] are utilized in the simulations. The blade twisting angle has been modified for the proposed dimensions and wind speed. The introduced novel blade increased the power generated compared to the classical shapes. The two proposed novel blades achieved better power coefficients. One of the proposed models achieved an increase of 31% and the other one achieved 32.2% when compared to the classical rotor shape. The optimum twist angel for the two proposed models achieved 5.66% and 5.69% when compared with zero angle of twist.


Author(s):  
Qiangqiang Huang ◽  
Xinqian Zheng ◽  
Aolin Wang

Air often flows into compressors with inlet prewhirl, because it will obtain a circumferential component of velocity via inlet distortion or swirl generators such as inlet guide vanes. A lot of research has shown that inlet prewhirl does influence the characteristics of components, but the change of the matching relation between the components caused by inlet prewhirl is still unclear. This paper investigates the influence of inlet prewhirl on the matching of the impeller and the diffuser and proposes a flow control method to cure mismatching. The approach combines steady three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations with theoretical analysis and modeling. The result shows that a compressor whose impeller and diffuser match well at zero prewhirl will go to mismatching at non-zero prewhirl. The diffuser throat gets too large to match the impeller at positive prewhirl and gets too small for matching at negative prewhirl. The choking mass flow of the impeller is more sensitive to inlet prewhirl than that of the diffuser, which is the main reason for the mismatching. To cure the mismatching via adjusting the diffuser vanes stagger angle, a one-dimensional method based on incidence matching has been proposed to yield a control schedule for adjusting the diffuser. The optimal stagger angle predicted by analytical method has good agreement with that predicted by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The compressor is able to operate efficiently in a much broader flow range with the control schedule. The flow range, where the efficiency is above 80%, of the datum compressor and the compressor only employing inlet prewhirl and no control are just 25.3% and 31.8%, respectively. For the compressor following the control schedule, the flow range is improved up to 46.5%. This paper also provides the perspective of components matching to think about inlet distortion.


1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 529-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Giel ◽  
J. R. Sirbaugh ◽  
I. Lopez ◽  
G. J. Van Fossen

Experimental measurements in the inlet of a transonic turbine blade cascade showed unacceptable pitchwise flow nonuniformity. A three-dimensional, Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the imbedded bellmouth inlet in the facility was performed to identify and eliminate the source of the flow nonuniformity. The blockage and acceleration effects of the blades were accounted for by specifying a periodic static pressure exit condition interpolated from a separate three-dimensional Navier–Stokes CFD solution of flow around a single blade in an infinite cascade. Calculations of the original inlet geometry showed total pressure loss regions consistent in strength and location to experimental measurements. The results indicate that the distortions were caused by a pair of streamwise vortices that originated as a result of the interaction of the flow with the imbedded bellmouth. Computations were performed for an inlet geometry that eliminated the imbedded bellmouth by bridging the region between it and the upstream wall. This analysis indicated that eliminating the imbedded bellmouth nozzle also eliminates the pair of vortices, resulting in a flow with much greater pitchwise uniformity. Measurements taken with an installed redesigned inlet verify that the flow nonuniformity has indeed been eliminated.


Author(s):  
Anil K. Tolpadi ◽  
James A. Tallman ◽  
Lamyaa El-Gabry

Conventional heat transfer design methods for turbine airfoils use 2-D boundary layer codes (BLC) combined with empiricism. While such methods may be applicable in the mid span of an airfoil, they would not be very accurate near the end-walls and airfoil tip where the flow is very three-dimensional (3-D) and complex. In order to obtain accurate heat transfer predictions along the entire span of a turbine airfoil, 3-D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) must be used. This paper describes the development of a CFD based design system to make heat transfer predictions. A 3-D, compressible, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes CFD solver with k-ω turbulence modeling was used. A wall integration approach was used for boundary layer prediction. First, the numerical approach was validated against a series of fundamental airfoil cases with available data. The comparisons were very favorable. Subsequently, it was applied to a real engine airfoil at typical design conditions. A discussion of the features of the airfoil heat transfer distribution is included.


Author(s):  
A. Kumar ◽  
P. B. Nair ◽  
A. J. Keane ◽  
S. Shahpar

This paper presents a probabilistic analysis of the effect of erosion on the performance of compressor fan blades. A realistic parametric CAD model is developed to represent eroded blades. Design of Experiments (DOE) techniques are employed to generate a set of candidate points, which are combined with a parametric geometry modeling and grid generation routine to produce a hybrid mesh. A multigrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) solver HYDRA with Spalart Allmaras turbulence model is used for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The data generated is used to create a surrogate model for efficient uncertainty propagation. This method is applied to a typical Rolls Royce compressor fan blade section. Monte Carlo Simulation, using the surrogate model, is executed for the probabilistic analysis of the compressor fan blade. Results show upto 5% increase in pressure loss for the eroded compressor fan blades.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (04) ◽  
pp. 259-270
Author(s):  
Ahmet Ziya Saydam ◽  
Serhan Gokcay ◽  
Mustafa Insel

Air wake distribution around the superstructure of a mega-yacht is a key concern for the designer because of various reasons such as comfort expectations in recreational deck areas, self-noise generation, air pollution and temperature gradients due to exhaust interactions, and safety of helicopter operations such as landing/take off and hovering. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) technique in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is frequently used in studies on mega-yacht hydrodynamics and aerodynamics with satisfactory results. In this article, a case study is presented for the utilization of CFD in a mega-yacht's superstructure design. The flow field in recreational open areas has been analyzed for the increase in velocity due to the existence of the superstructure. A reduction in self-noise of the mast structure has been aimed by reducing flow separation and vorticity. Time-dependent velocity data obtained with scale-resolving simulations are presented for the evaluation of helicopter landings. The capabilities and limitations of the RANS technique are discussed along with recent developments in modeling approaches.


Author(s):  
Alejandro Herna´ndez Rossette ◽  
Zdzislaw Mazur C. ◽  
Jesu´s Cordero Guridi ◽  
Eric Chumacero Polanco

As a gas turbine entry temperature (TET) increases, thermal loading on first stage blades increases too and therefore, a variety of cooling techniques and thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are used to maintain the blade temperature within the acceptable limits. In this work a multi-block three dimensional Navier-Stokes commercial turbomachinery oriented CFD-code has been used to compute steady state conjugated heat transfer (CHT) on the blade suction and pressure coated sides of a rotating first inter-stage (nozzle and bucket) with cooling holes of a 60 MW Gas turbine. A Spallart Allmaras model was used for modeling the turbulence. Convection and radiation were modeled for a super alloy blade with and without TBC. The CFD simulations were configured with a mesh domain of nozzle and bucket inter-stage in order to predict the fluid parameters at inlet and outlet of bucket for validate with turbine inter-stage parameter data test of gas turbine manufacturer. The effects of blade surface temperature changes were simulated with both configurations coated and uncoated blades.


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