Fluid Structure Interaction Analysis of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

Abstract

Wind power is a clean energy source that we can rely on for long term use. A wind turbine creates reliable, cost effective pollution free energy. A Horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) with three blades having aerofoil profile NACA 2421 is modelled in CAD software and the performance of the turbine is investigated numerically using 3D CFD Ansys 18.1 software at rotor speeds varying from 1 to 7.5 Rad/sec at wind speeds ranging from 8 to 24 m/s. In order to ensure the turbine blades do not fail due to pressure loads and rotational forces, Fluid structure interaction is carried out by importing the surface pressure loads from CFD output on to static structural module, the rotational velocities are also imparted on the blades and FE analysis is carried out to estimate the equivalent von-Mises stress for structural steel as well as aluminium alloy. It is found that aluminium alloy blades are preferable than the structural steel blades. At high rotor speeds, stresses in the structural steel exceeding the yield strength limit. For aluminium alloy the stresses are below the yield strength limit.