Assessment of stress-blended eddy simulation model for accurate performance prediction of vertical axis wind turbine
International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow
ISSN: 0961-5539
Article publication date: 16 June 2020
Issue publication date: 10 March 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to assess the ability of a stress-blended eddy simulation (SBES) turbulence model to predict the performance of a three-straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). The grid sensitivity study is conducted to evaluate the simulation accuracy.
Design/methodology/approach
The unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations are solved using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. Two types of grid topology around the blades, namely, O-grid (OG) and C-grid (CG) types, are considered for grid sensitivity studies.
Findings
With regard to the power coefficient (Cp), simulation results have shown significant improvements of predictions using compared to other turbulence models such as the k-e model. The Cp distributions predicted by applying the CG mesh are in good agreement with the experimental data than that by the OG mesh.
Research limitations/implications
The current study provides some new insights of the use of SBES turbulence model in VAWT CFD simulations.
Practical implications
The SBES turbulence model can significantly improve the numerical accuracy on predicting the VAWT performance at a lower tip speed ratio (TSR), which other turbulence models cannot achieve. Furthermore, it has less computational demand for the finer grid resolution used in the RANS-Large Eddy Simulation (LES) “transition” zone compared to other hybrid RANS-LES models.
Originality/value
To authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to apply SBES turbulence model to predict VAWT performance resulting for accurate CFD results. The better prediction can increase the credibility of computational evaluation of a new or an improved configuration of VAWT.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The first author would like to acknowledge the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education of Indonesia and Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) of the Ministry of Finance of Indonesia for the financial support via the BUDI LPDP scholarship.
Citation
Syawitri, T.P., Yao, Y., Yao, J. and Chandra, B. (2021), "Assessment of stress-blended eddy simulation model for accurate performance prediction of vertical axis wind turbine", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 655-673. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-09-2019-0689
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited