Performance Comparison of Different Building Shapes Using a Wind Tunnel and a Computational Model

Abstract

A building-integrated wind turbine (BIWT) is an alternative way to assess renewable energy. BIWTs produces their own energy without relying on fossil fuels. However, only a few researchers have studied BIWTs. Greater wind velocity (V) results in greater potential energy (P). The aerodynamic design has an important role to play in increasing wind velocity and reducing turbulence intensity. CFD simulations taken from previous research have revealed that round-shaped buildings increase velocity up to 30%. This study focuses on the wind response of square and top-rounded-shaped building models, and their optimization based on variations in wind velocity. Wind tunnel studies were conducted to study wind flow around the building, followed by a computer simulation to verify the results. In a wind tunnel, three BIWT models (1:150 in scale) located in Seoul, South Korea (terrain B), were evaluated. The results of the study show that the streamline should be followed when installing wind turbines on rectangular rooves with flat surfaces. This method allows wind speed to be elevated significantly, when compared to a turbine at a higher height. In addition, round corners can produce wind velocity that is up to 34% greater than sharp corners beside a building. In summary, this paper presents a five-step analysis framework that can be used by researchers who wish to analyze BIWTs through wind tunnel experiments and CFD.