Self-Start Performance Evaluation in Darrieus-Type Vertical Axis Wind Turbines: Methodology and Computational Tool Applied to Symmetrical Airfoils
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj09.302Abstract
An increased interest in vertical axis wind turbines has been stimulated by the rapid growth of wind power generation and by the need for a smarter electrical grid with a decentralized energy generation, especially in the urban areas. The lift type vertical axis wind turbines (Darrieus wind turbine) performance prediction is a very complex task, since its blades move around the rotor axis in a three dimensional aerodynamic environment that lead to several flow phenomena, such as, dynamic stall, flow separation, flow wake deformations and their natural inability to self-start. These issues can be overcome with the use of several more or less complex solutions, being one of them the development of a blade profile capable of making the wind turbines self-start. This paper focuses on presenting a new methodology for fast development of new blade profiles, for self-start capable Darrieus wind turbines, which is a complex and time-consuming task.