The study of vertical-axis wind turbine based on immersed boundary method

Abstract

In this article, a modified immersed boundary method (IBM) with a ghost-cells strategy is introduced to study a kind of vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT). In order to improve the accuracy of the numerical calculation and enhance its adaptability, some treatments on the IBM for the VAWT especially are carried out. The method is testified by the numerical simulation of an Eppler387 airfoil. With the help of the method, some flowing characteristics of the wind turbine have been thoroughly observed and understood. Furthermore, the effects of blade shape, tip vortex and secondary flowing on the turbine performance are discussed in detail based on the numerical results.