Title: Modelling and analysis of a novel wind turbine structure

Authors: Xu Zhang; Yong K. Chen; Rajnish K. Calay

Addresses: School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, Al10 9AB, UK ' School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, Al10 9AB, UK ' School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, Al10 9AB, UK

Abstract: This study introduces a novel wind turbine structure for an urban environment. A computational modelling has been conducted to investigate the effect of the new structure on the flow behaviour of entrance wind through the structure and the feasibility of the new wind turbine working at different wind speeds in an urban area. The wind flow behaviour through a chamber of the wind turbine structure has resulted in an increase of 1.3 times of the wind velocity at the outlet of the wind turbine. This is equivalent to 2.5 times increase of wind energy. The wind tunnel tests were carried out to validate the simulation results. There is a good correlation between the experimental and computational results. It is evident that the presented computational method can predict and evaluate the performance of this new type of shroud structure in an urban environment.

Keywords: wind energy; urban wind turbines; aerodynamics; modelling; simulation; variable speed; wind turbine structures; wind power; renewable energy; flow behaviour; shroud structure; performance evaluation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2013.054318

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2013 Vol.19 No.2, pp.142 - 149

Published online: 27 Sep 2014 *

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