Flow analyses of diffuser augmented wind turbines

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of the study was to obtain the design parameters of optimum wind turbine linear shrouding bodies to enhance wind turbine performance further. The blade element momentum theory and k-ε turbulence model were used to determine the performance of wind turbine linear shrouds. Based on 17 different wind turbine shrouding systems considered in the present study, it is determined that the mass flow rate of the air passing through the turbine rotor disc section can be enhanced approximately by a factor of 1.85. Numerical analysis revealed that the highest wind power increase was achieved from an optimally designed linear shrouding system of the type having an inlet shrouding component at the upstream and flange component at the downstream of the diffuser. The theoretical wind turbine power coefficient, C_p indicated that power generations can be enhanced on the turbine rotor blades by a factor of 6.33. This result exceeds the field trial testing found in the literature. Finally, it is concluded that this optimally designed wind turbine inlet shroud system and flange components can be applied for micro wind turbines.

KEYWORDS:

• Diffuser augmented wind turbine
• wind power
• wind speed
• wind flow analysis
• wind turbine efficiency improvement

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Office of Scientific Research Projects of Cukurova University for funding this project under the Contract No: FBA-2019-11937.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Akın İlhan

Akın İlhan received his bachelor degree from Mechanical Engineering Department of Çukurova University. Later he continued with his MSc and PhD studies in Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences of the same university. He received his PhD degree in 2019 at the Çukurova University. He is now working in Energy Systems Engineering Department in the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences of Yıldırım Beyazıt University of Ankara/Turkey. 

Harun Zontul

Harun Zontul recieved Bachelor's of Engineering in Mersin University. He earned his M.Sc. in Çukurova University. Currently, works as a research assistant in Çukurova University and continues his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. His research interests are fluid mechanics, flow control methods, heat transfer and numerical methods.

Sergen Tümse

Sergen Tümse was born in 1994 in Seyhan, Adana. He graduated from Toki Şehit Ozan Onur İlgen high school in Adana in 2012. He enrolled to Mechanical Engineering Department of Çukurova University in 2012. He graduated from the department of Mechanical Engineering and Automotive Engineering in 2017 and began his Master of Science in 2017. After completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a research assistant at Mechanical Engineering Department in Çukurova University in 2017. He is currently working as a research assistant in the same department and doing his doctorate.

Mehmet Bilgili

Mehmet Bilgili completed his PhD in 2007 at the University of Çukurova. Currently, he has been working as a Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Çukurova University. His research areas are energy and air-conditioning systems.

Beşir Şahin

Besir Sahin works as a Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Çukurova University. He has more than 200 publications. His research fields are energy, applied fluid mechanics and aerodynamics.