Skip to main content

The Physics of Starting Process for Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Springer Tracts in Mechanical Engineering ((STME))

Abstract

In recent years there is a renewed interest in both large-scale and small-scale vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). The development of multi-megawatt floating offshore VAWT is mainly a response to a plateau in the improvement of the aerodynamic performance of horizontal axis wind turbines. The research in small rotors (<100 kW) is motivated by the future demand for a decentralized sustainable energy supply in remote areas. However, such designs have received much less attention than the more common propeller-type designs and the understanding of some aspects of their operation remains, to this day, incomplete. This holds, because after some authors the starting operation is difficult, if not impossible, to induce the self-start capabilities without external assistance. This paper reviews the cause of the inability of the low solidity fixed pitch vertical axis wind turbines to self-start, and investigates the flow physics of dynamic stall in order to comprehend, interpret, understand and explain-all this comprising the problem of start-up.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Allet A, Halle S, Paraschivoiu I (1999) Numerical simulation of dynamic stall around an airfoil in Darrieus motion. J Solar Energy 121:69–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ferreira CJD, van Zurjlen A, Bily H, van Bussel G, van Kuik G (2010) Simulating dynamic stall in a two-dimensional vertical-axis wind turbine: verification and validation with particle image velocimetry data. Wind Energy 13:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Malael I, Dumitrescu H, Cardos V (2014) Numerical simulation of vertical axis wind turbine at low speed ratios. Glob J Res Eng 1 Numer Methods 14(1):9–20

    Google Scholar 

  4. Wang S, Ingham DB, Lin M, Pourkashanian M, Zhi T (2010) Numerical investigations on dynamic stall of low Reynolds number flow around oscillating airfoils. Comput Fluids 39:1529–1541

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Wood D (2011) Small Wind Turbines: analysis, design and application. Springer, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Stuart JT (1967) On finite amplitude oscillations in laminar mixing layers. J Fluid Mech 29(3):417–440

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Gursul I, Rockwell D (1991) Effect of concentration of vortices on streakline patterns. Exp Fluids 10:294–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Goldstein S (1969) Fluid mechanics in the first half of the XXth century. Ann Rev Fluid Mech 1:1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Wu JZ, Gu JW, Wu JM (1988) Steady three-dimensional fluid particle-separation from arbitrary smooth surface and formation of free vortex layers. Z Flugwiss Weltraumforsch 12:89–98

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Dallman U, Schewe G (1987) On topological changes of separating flow structures at transition Reynolds numbers. AIAA Pap 8:7–1266

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ferreira CS (2009) The near wake of the VAWT: 2D and 3D views of the VAWT aerodynamics. PhD Thesis, Delft University of Technology

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was realized through the Partnership programme in priority domains—PN II, developed with support from ANCS CNDI—UEFISCDI, project no. PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-32-1670.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Horia Dumitrescu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Dumitrescu, H., Cardoş, V., Mălăel, I. (2015). The Physics of Starting Process for Vertical Axis Wind Turbines. In: Ferrer, E., Montlaur, A. (eds) CFD for Wind and Tidal Offshore Turbines. Springer Tracts in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16202-7_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16202-7_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16201-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16202-7

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics