Predicting aerodynamic characteristic of typical wind turbine airfoils using CFD

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/534484· OSTI ID:534484

Wolfe, W P ^[1]; Ochs, S S ^[2]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Aerospace Engineering Dept.

An investigation was conducted into the capabilities and accuracy of a representative computational fluid dynamics code to predict the flow field and aerodynamic characteristics of typical wind-turbine airfoils. Comparisons of the computed pressure and aerodynamic coefficients were made with wind tunnel data. This work highlights two areas in CFD that require further investigation and development in order to enable accurate numerical simulations of flow about current generation wind-turbine airfoils: transition prediction and turbulence modeling. The results show that the laminar-to turbulent transition point must be modeled correctly to get accurate simulations for attached flow. Calculations also show that the standard turbulence model used in most commercial CFD codes, the k-e model, is not appropriate at angles of attack with flow separation. 14 refs., 28 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 534484
• Report Number(s): SAND--96-2345; ON: DE98000422
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
ACCURACY
AERODYNAMICS
AIRFOILS
FLOW MODELS
TRANSITION FLOW
TURBULENT FLOW
WIND TURBINES