Cross-flow turbines: physical and numerical model studies towards improved array simulations

Abstract:

Cross-flow, or vertical-axis turbines, show potential in marine hydrokinetic (MHK) and wind energy applications. As turbine designs mature, the research focus is shifting from individual devices towards improving turbine array layouts for maximizing overall power output, i.e., minimizing wake interference for axial-flow turbines, or taking advantage of constructive wake interaction for cross-flow turbines.

Numerical simulations are generally better suited to explore the turbine array design parameter space, as physical model studies of large arrays at large model scale would be expensive. However, since the computing power available today is not sufficient to conduct simulations of the flow in and around large arrays of turbines with fully resolved turbine geometries, the turbines’ interaction with the energy resource needs to be parameterized, or modeled. Most models in use today, e.g. actuator disk, are not able to predict the unique wake structure generated by cross-flow turbines.

Experiments were carried out using a high-resolution turbine test bed in a large cross-section tow tank, designed to achieve sufficiently high Reynolds numbers for the results to be Reynolds number independent with respect to turbine performance and wake statistics, such that they can be reliably extrapolated to full scale and used for model validation.

To improve parameterization in array simulations, an actuator line model (ALM) was developed to provide a computationally feasible method for simulating full turbine arrays inside Navier--Stokes models. The ALM predicts turbine loading with the blade element method combined with sub-models for dynamic stall and flow curvature. The open-source software is written as an extension library for the OpenFOAM CFD package, which allows the ALM body force to be applied to their standard RANS and LES solvers. Turbine forcing is also applied to volume of fluid (VOF) models, e.g., for predicting free surface effects on submerged MHK devices. An additional sub-model is considered for injecting turbulence model scalar quantities based on actuator line element loading. Results are presented for the simulation of performance and wake dynamics of axial- and cross-flow turbines and compared with experiments and body-fitted mesh, blade-resolving CFD.

Supported by NSF-CBET grant 1150797.