• Wind and Structures
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.199-217
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• 2014

Reported experimental and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) studies have demonstrated significant power augmentation of diffuser shrouded horizontal axis micro wind turbine compared to bare turbine. These studies also found the degree of augmentation is strongly dependent on the shape and geometry of the diffuser such as length and expansion angle. However study flow field over the rotor blades in shrouded turbine has not received much attention. In this paper, CFD simulations of an experimental diffuser shrouded micro wind turbine have been carried out with the aim to understand the mechanisms underpinning the power augmentation phenomenon. The simulations provide insight of the flow field over the blades of bare wind turbine and of shrouded one elucidating the augmentation mechanisms. From the analysis, sub-atmospheric back pressure leading to velocity augmentation at the inlet of diffuser and lowering the static pressure on blade suction sides have been identified as th dominant mechanisms driving the power augmentation. And effective augmentation was achieved for ${\lambda}$ above certain value. For the case turbine it is ${\lambda}$ greater than ${\approx}2$.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.6A
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• pp.369-378
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• 2012

In this study, direct-search based optimization methods are applied for blade shape optimization of wind turbines and the optimization performances of several methods including conventional genetic algorithm, micro genetic algorithm and pattern search method are compared to propose a more efficient method. For this purpose, the currently available version of HARP_Opt (Horizontal Axis Rotor Performance Optimizer) code is enhanced to rationally evaluate the annual energy production value according to control strategies and to optimize the blade shape using pattern search method as well as genetic algorithm. The enhanced HARP_Opt code is applied to obtain the optimal turbine blade shape for 1MW class wind turbines. The results from pattern search method are compared with the results from conventional genetic algorithm and also micro genetic algorithm and it is found that the pattern search method has a better performance in achieving higher annual energy production and consistent optimal shapes and the micro genetic algorithm is better for reducing the calculation time.