• Wind and Structures
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.595-616
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• 2016

Providing high starting torque and efficiency simultaneously is a significant challenge for vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). In this paper, a new approach is studied in order to modify VAWTs performance and cogging torque. In this approach, J-shaped profiles are exploited in the structure of blades by means of eliminating the pressure side of airfoil from the maximum thickness toward the trailing edge. This new profile is a new type of VAWT airfoil using the lift and drag forces, thereby yielding a better performance at low TSRs. To simulate the fluid flow of the VAWT along with J-shaped profiles originated from NACA0018 and NACA0030, a two-dimensional computational analysis is conducted. The Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are closed using the two-equation Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model. The main objective of the study is to investigate the effects of J-shaped straight blade thickness on the performance characteristics of VAWT. The results obtained indicate that opting for the higher thickness in J-shaped profiles for the blade sections leads the performance and cogging torque of VAWT to enhance dramatically.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

Numerical study is carried out to investigate flow characteristics around an axisymmetric body with and without an integrated propulsor. The incompressible Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS) equations are also solved using the finite volume method and the standard $k-\varepsilon$ turbulence model for turbulence closure. In order to investigate the propulsor-hull interaction, the induced velocity calculated by surface panel methods is utilized for the boundary condition at the propeller plane. The calculated results are compared to the experimental results. It is considered that the present numerical code can be used for design of an integrated propulsor.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.37-58
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• 2006

The paper describes a study about effects of upstream hills on design wind loads using two mathematical approaches: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Artificial Neural Network (NN for short). For this purpose CFD and NN tools have been developed using an object-oriented approach and C++ programming language. The CFD tool consists of solving the Reynolds time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations and $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model using body-fitted nearly-orthogonal coordinate system. Subsequently, design wind load parameters such as speed-up ratio values have been generated for a wide spectrum of two-dimensional hill geometries that includes isolated and multiple steep and shallow hills. Ground roughness effect has also been considered. Such CFD solutions, however, normally require among other things ample computational time, background knowledge and high-capacity hardware. To assist the enduser, an easier, faster and more inexpensive NN model trained with the CFD-generated data is proposed in this paper. Prior to using the CFD data for training purposes, extensive validation work has been carried out by comparing with boundary layer wind tunnel (BLWT) data. The CFD trained NN (CFD-NN) has produced speed-up ratio values for cases such as multiple hills that are not covered by wind design standards such as the Commentaries of the National Building Code of Canada (1995). The CFD-NN results compare well with BLWT data available in literature and the proposed approach requires fewer resources compared to running BLWT experiments.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.501-508
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• 2011

In order to control the tip vortex cavitation occurring around the tip of a rotating propeller blade, researches on the propeller cavitation and blade tip vortex flows have been increased. In this paper, the propeller tip vortex flow for a blunt and sharp tips was studied using an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations solver based on a cell-centered finite volume method. In numerical open water test, torques, thrusts, pressure distributions and vortex flows were compared for various rotating speeds. To consider a hull wake, the nominal wake was specified in inlet boundary condition. Pressure distributions and vortex flows with the hull wake were investigated for various propeller rotating angles. From the results, it was confirmed that the blunt tip propeller delayed the tip vortex flow.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.64-69
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• 2009

The two-dimensional unsteady flow around a vertical axis turbine for tidal stream energy conversion was investigated using a computational fluid dynamics tool solving the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The geometry of the turbine blade section was NACA653-018 aiifoil. The computational analysis was done at several different angles of attack and the results were compared with the corresponding experimental data for validation and calibration. Simulations were then carried out for the two-dimensional cross section of a vertical axis turbine. The simulation results demonstrated the usefulness of the method for the typical unsteady flows around vertical axis turbines. The optimum turbine efficiency was achieved for carefully selected combinations of the number of blades and tip speed ratios.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.782-793
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• 2018

A small-scale horizontal axis hydrokinetic turbine is designed, manufactured and studied both experimentally and numerically in this study. The turbine is expected to work in most of China's sea areas where the ocean current velocity is low and to supply electricity for remote islands. To improve the efficiency of the turbine at low flow velocities, a magnetic coupling is used for the non-contacting transmission of the rotor torque. A prototype is manufactured and tested in a towing tank. The experimental results show that the turbine is characterized by a cut-in velocity of 0.25 m/s and a maximum power coefficient of 0.33, proving the feasibility of using magnetic couplings to reduce the resistive torque in the transmission parts. Three dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, which are based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations, are then performed to evaluate the performance of the rotor both at transient and steady state.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.463-468
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• 2015

This study describes the effect of upstream curved pipe on internal flow characteristics ball valve. Continuity and three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation have been used as governing equations for the numerical analysis. The upstream curved pipe - ball valve model was assumed that it is used for Alaska pipeline project which was planned to provide reliable transportation of natural gas from ANS to Alaska-Yukon border. Therefore the characteristics of pipe and operating condition of pipeline were from report of Alaska pipeline project. The three curvature and three location of upstream curved pipe were analyzed. The results shows that there are typical flow patterns at ball valve and the upstream curved pipe makes some differences to the internal flow of ball valve.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.438-444
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• 2015

This study describes the effect of T branch shape on internal flow characteristics inside itself. Continuity and three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation have been used as governing equations for the numerical analysis. The T branch was modeled assuming that it is used for Alaska pipeline project which was planned to provide reliable transportation of natural gas from ANS to Alaska-Yukon border. Therefore the characteristics of T branch and operating condition of pipeline were from report of Alaska pipeline project. The nine T branch shapes were analyzed and the mass flow rate ratio between mainline and branch was assumed to be 0.95 : 0.05, 0.9 : 0.1, 0.85 : 0.15. The results shows that there are typical flow patterns in T branch and the shape of T branch makes some differences to the internal flow of branch rather than mainline.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.296-296
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• 2015

The aim of this paper is to numerically explore the feasibility of designing a Mini-Hydro turbine. The interest for this kind of horizontal axis turbine relies on its versatility. For instance, in the field of renewable energy, this kind of turbine may be considered for different applications, such as: tidal power, run-of-the-river hydroelectricity, wave energy conversion. It is fundamental to improve the turbine performance and to decrease the equipment costs for achievement of "environmental friendly" solutions and maximization of the "cost-advantage". In the present work, the commercial CFD code ANSYS is used to perform 3D simulations, solving the incompressible Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (U-RANS) equations discretized by means of a finite volume approach. The implicit segregated version of the solver is employed. The pressure-velocity coupling is achieved by means of the SIMPLE algorithm. The convective terms are discretized using a second order accurate upwind scheme, and pressure and viscous terms are discretized by a second-order-accurate centered scheme. A second order implicit time formulation is also used. Turbulence closure is provided by the realizable k - turbulence model. In this study, a mini hydro turbine (3kW) has been considered for utilization of horizontal axis impeller. The turbine performance and flow behavior have been evaluated by means of numerical simulations. Moreover, the performance of the impeller varied in the pressure distribution, torque, rotational speed and power generated by the different number of blades and angles. The model has been validated, comparing numerical results with available experimental data.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.314-328
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• 2019

This paper attempts to combine the pneumatic breakwater and submerged breakwater to increase the effectiveness of wave damping for long-period waves. A series of physical experiments concerning pneumatic breakwater, submerged breakwater and their joint breakwater was conducted and used to validate a mathematical model based on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, the RNG $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model and the VOF method. In addition, the mathematical model was used to investigate the wave transmission coefficients of three breakwaters. The nonlinear wave propagation behaviors and the energy transfer from lower frequencies to higher frequencies after the submerged breakwater were investigated in detail. Furthermore, an optimal arrangement between pneumatic breakwater and submerged breakwater was obtained for damping longer-period waves that cannot be damped effectively by the pneumatic breakwater alone. In addition, the reason for the appearance of the combination effect is that part of the energy of the transmitted waves over the submerged breakwater transfers to shorter-period waves. Finally, the impact of the joint breakwater on the wave field during wave propagation process was investigated.