• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.229-234
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• 2011

For Lift-type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT), it is difficult to evaluate the performance through the scale-model wind tunnel tests, because of the scale effect relating to Reynolds number. However, it is beneficial to figure out the critical value of Reynolds number or minimum size of the Lift-type VAWT, when designing this type of micro wind turbine. Therefore, in this study, the performance of several scale-models of Lift-type VAWT (Reynolds number : $1.5{\times}10^4$ to $4.6{\times}10^4$) was investigated. As a result, the Reynolds number effect depends on the blade chord rather than the inlet velocity. In addition, there was a transition point of the Reynolds number to change the dominant driving force from Drag to Lift.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.602-606
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• 2011

In this study, operational vibration experiment and analysis have been conducted for the 4-blade small vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) including the effect of tower elastic behavior. Computational structural dynamics analysis method is applied to obtain Campbell diagram for the VAWT with elastic tower. An open type wind-tunnel is used to change and keep the wind velocity during the ground test. Equivalent reduced elastic tower is supported to the VAWT so that the elastic stiffness effect of the tower can be reflected to the present vibration experiment. Various excitation sources with aerodynamic forces are considered and the dominant operating vibration phenomena are physically investigated in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2018

Wind power tower (WPT) has been used to augment the performance of vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). However, the performance of the WPT depends on several design parameters, such as inner and outer radius, or number of guide walls. Therefore, an experimental study was conducted to investigate efficient design parameters on the WPT. A wind tunnel was utilized and its test section dimension was 2m height and 2.2m width. One story model of the WPT was manufactured with seven guide walls and a VAWT was installed within the WPT. Three different sizes of guide walls were applied to test with various design parameters. The power coefficients were measured along the azimuthal direction in a state of equal inlet velocity in order to compare its performance relatively. The experimental results showed that the gap between the inner radius of the WPT and the rotating radius of the VAWT was a major parameter to improve the performance of VAWT within the WPT.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.647-670
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• 2013

The paper presents a numerical approach to study of fluid flow characteristics and to predict performance of wind turbines. The numerical model is based on Finite-volume method (FVM) discretization of unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations. The movement of turbine blades is modeled using moving mesh technique. The turbulence is modeled using commonly used turbulence models: Renormalization Group (RNG) k-${\varepsilon}$ turbulence model and the standard k-${\varepsilon}$ and k-${\omega}$ turbulence models. The model is validated with the experimental data over a large range of tip-speed to wind ratio (TSR) and blade pitch angles. In order to demonstrate the use of numerical method as a tool for designing wind turbines, two dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) simulations are carried out to study the flow through a small scale Darrieus type H-rotor Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). The flows predictions are used to determine the performance of the turbine. The turbine consists of 3-symmetrical NACA0022 blades. A number of simulations are performed for a range of approaching angles and wind speeds. This numerical study highlights the concerns with the self-starting capabilities of the present VAWT turbine. However results also indicate that self-starting capabilities of the turbine can be increased when the mounted angle of attack of the blades is increased. The 2-D simulations using the presented model can successfully be used at preliminary stage of turbine design to compare performance of the turbine for different design and operating parameters, whereas 3-D studies are preferred for the final design.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.177-186
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• 2019

Wind power tower has been used to augment the performance of VAWT (Vertical Axis Wind Turbine). However, inappropriately designed wind power tower could reduce the performance of VAWT. Hence, an optimization study was conducted on a wind power tower. Six design variables were selected, such as the outer radius and the inner radius of the guide wall, the adoption of the splitter, the inner radius of the splitter, the number of the guide wall and the circumferential angle. For the objective function, the periodic averaged torque obtained at the VAWT was selected. In the optimization, Design of Experiment (DOE), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) have been applied in order to avoid a localized optimized result. The ANN has been continuously improved after finishing the optimization process at each generation. The performance of the VAWT was improved more than twice when it operated within the optimized wind power tower compared to that obtained at a standalone.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.5-9
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• 2013

In this study, operational vibration experiment and analysis have been conducted for the 4-blade small vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) including the effect of tower elastic behavior. Computational structural dynamics analysis method is applied to obtain Campbell diagram for the VAWT with elastic tower. An open type wind-tunnel is used to change and keep the wind velocity during the ground test. Equivalent elastic tower is used to support the VAWT so that the effect of elastic stiffness of the tower can be considered in the present vibration experiment. Various excitation conditions with wind loads are considered and the dominant operating vibration phenomena are physically investigated in detail.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.52-58
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• 2011

In this study, the design and verification of 6 kW class lift-type vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) has been conducted using advanced CAE technique based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite element method (FEM), and computational structural dynamics (CSD). Designed aerodynamic performance of the VAWT model is tested using unsteady CFD method. Designed structural safety is also tested through the evaluation of maximum induced stress level and resonance characteristics using FEM and CSD methods. It is importantly shown that the effect of master eccentricity due to rotational inertia needs to be carefully considered to additionally investigate dynamic stress and deformation level of the designed VAWT system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.663-670
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• 2011

In this study, the design and verification of 6kW class lift-type vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) has been conducted using advanced CAE technique based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite element method (FEM), and computational structural dynamics (CSD). Designed aerodynamic performance of the VAWT model is tested using unsteady CFD method. Designed structural safety is also tested through the evaluation of maximum induced stress level and resonance characteristics using FEM and CSD methods. It is importantly shown that the effect of master eccentricity due to rotational inertia needs to be carefully considered to additionally investigate dynamic stress and deformation level of the designed VAWT system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.122-129
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• 2018

This study conducted a seismic qualification analysis of small savonius style vertical axis wind turbine(VAWT) using finite element method(FEM). The modal analysis was performed on the wind turbine structure to check the occurrence of resonance caused by the rotation of gearbox and windmill blades. Next, it conducted a seismic response spectrum analysis due to horizontal and vertical seismic load of required response spectrum of safe shutdown earthquake with 5 % damping(RRS/SSE 5%) of KS C IEC 61400 and conducted a static analysis due to deadweight and wind load. The total maximum stress of the VAWT structure was calculated by adding the maximum stresses due to each load case using the square root of the sum of the squares(SRSS) method. Finally, the structural safety of the VAWT structure was verified by comparing the total maximum stress and the allowable stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.13-20
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• 2006

The inherent problem of a Darrieus wind turbine is its inability to self-start. Usually, a motor is used to provide angular acceleration until lift forces are produced in the airfoil blades or up until the turbine can already sustain its speed on its own. This paper describes a method of improving the self-starting of an H-type Darrieus vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) by incorporating a helical Savonius turbine thus utilizing a drag-lift combination. The effect of each turbine in the combination relative to each other is investigated by testing a prototype windmill consisting of three NACA 0015 airfoil blades combined with a Savonius rotor with a helix angle of 180 degrees and whose swept area equals 30% of the entire turbine.