Gorlov Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Gorlov Vertical Axis Wind Turbine CFD Simulation, ANSYS Fluent

Description

This project simulates a Gorlov vertical axis wind turbine using ANSYS Fluent. The initial turbine geometry was sourced from GrabCAD and subsequently re-designed in SpaceClaim with CFD-specific preliminaries in mind. The computational domain is a cube, with the turbine positioned centrally, close to the inlet boundary. The domain was meshed in ANSYS Meshing, with increased mesh accuracy applied specifically around the blades to better resolve the local flow behavior.

Methodology

Since the angle of attack on a vertical axis wind turbine continuously changes throughout its rotation, this angular motion was captured using the sliding mesh (mesh motion) model. Incoming wind enters at 10 m/s from the inlet boundary, while the turbine rotates at 12 rad/s. The domain's side walls were set as symmetric, effectively representing an open surrounding area rather than confined boundaries.

Conclusion

Results include velocity, pressure, and streamline visualizations throughout the domain. As the incoming airflow strikes the turbine blades, it drives the rotor's rotation, generating the torque captured in the resulting plot. Since the angle of attack changes continuously as the turbine rotates, this torque generation follows a distinctly sinusoidal trend — reaching peak values at certain rotational angles and dropping off at others, consistent with the cyclic aerodynamic loading characteristic of vertical axis wind turbine operation.