Methodology For The Simulation Of Small Scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbines Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Methodology for the Simulation of Small-scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbines Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations

Fluid flows are encountered in our daily life as well as in engineering industries. Identifying the temporal and spatial distribution of fluid dynamic properties is essential in analyzing the processes related to flows. These properties, such as velocity, turbulence, temperature, pressure, and concentration, play important roles in mass transfer, heat transfer, reaction rate, and force analysis. However, obtaining the analytical solution of these fluid property distributions is technically difficult or impossible. With the technique of finite difference methods or finite element methods, attaining numerical solutions from the partial differential equations of mass, momentum, and energy have become achievable. Therefore, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has emerged and been widely applied in various fields. This book collects the recent studies that have applied the CFD technique in analyzing several representative processes covering mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, and thermal engineering.

Wind Energy Harvesting

This book provides the fundamental concepts required for the development of an efficient small-scale wind turbine. For centuries, engineers and scientists have used wind turbines of all shapes and sizes to harvest wind energy. Large-scale wind turbines have been successful at producing great amounts of power when deployed in sites with vast, open space, such as in fi elds or in offshore waters. For environments with limited space, such as dense urban environments, small-scale wind turbines are an attractive alternative for taking advantage of the ubiquity of wind. However, many of today’s tools for aerodynamic design and analysis were originally developed for large-scale turbines and do not scale down to these smaller devices. Arranged in a systematic and comprehensive manner, complete with supporting examples, Wind Energy Harvesting: Micro- To Small-Scale Turbines is a useful reference for undergraduate and graduate level classes on energy harvesting, sustainable energy, and fl uid dynamics, and an introduction to the field for non-technical readers.