Wind tunnel experimental study on the aerodynamic characteristics of straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbine

Abstract

To investigate the effect of structural parameters on the aerodynamic characteristics of a Straight-Bladed Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (SB-VAWT), a 4-bladed SB-VAWT without an intermediate support shaft was designed to allow flexibility in changing structural parameters. Wind tunnel tests were conducted to measure the rotational speed, total lift, drag and torque of the wind turbine with different structural parameters at varying wind speeds. Based on the experimental design and optimisation, the wind turbine achieved the highest rotational speed and optimal power generation when the blades were installed in the forward direction at an installation angle of 10°, an installation radius of 160 mm, and a length of 600 mm. Under these optimal conditions, the speed and power generation characteristics of the wind turbine were tested at different wind speeds These results provide valuable insights for the design and application of similar wind turbines.