CFD simulation of twin vertical axis tidal turbines system

Abstract

As concerns about rising fossil-fuel prices, energy security and climate-change increase, renewable energy can play a vital role in producing local, clean and inexhaustible energy to supply world rising demand for electricity. In this study, hydrodynamic analysis of vertical axis tidal turbine operating side-by-side is numerically analyzed. Two-dimensional numerical modeling of the unsteady flow through the blades of the turbine is performed using ANSYS CFX, hereafter CFX; this is based on a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model. The purpose is to find an optimal distance between the turbines where interaction effect is minimal and constructive, where the turbines operate more efficiently than stand alone turbine. A transient simulation is done on Vertical Axis Tidal Turbine (VATT) using the Shear Stress Transport Turbulence (SST) model. Main hydrodynamic parameters like torque T, coefficients of performance CP and coefficient of torque CT are investigated. The gap spacing between the turbines has an important role in performance improvement and also in vortex shedding suppression for the flows around two counters rotating systems. The simulation results are validated with Ye and Calisal data. The results of this study prove that the total power output of a twin-turbine system with an optimal layout can be about 24% higher than two times that of a stand-alone turbine. We conclude that the optimally configured counter-rotating twin turbines should be a side-by-side arrangement. © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2013.