Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine Analysis Code

Abstract

Wind Energy is becoming a significant source of energy throughout the world. This ever increasing field will potentially reach the limit of availability and practicality with the wind farm sites and size of the turbine itself. Therefore, it is necessary to develop innovative wind capturing devices that can produce energy in the locations where large conventional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) are too impractical to install and operate. A diffuser augmented wind turbine (DAWT) is one such innovation. DAWTs increase the power output of the rotor by increasing the wind speed into the rotor using a duct. Currently, developing these turbines is an involved process using time consuming Computational Fluid Dynamics codes. A simple and quick design tool is necessary for designers to develop efficient energy capturing devices. This work lays out the theory for a quick analysis tool for DAWTs using an axisymmetric surface vorticity method. This method allows for quick analysis of duct, hubs and rotors giving designers a general idea of the power output of the proposed hub, blade and duct geometry. The method would be similar to the way blade element momentum theory is used to design conventional HAWTs. It is determined that the presented method is viable for preliminary design of DAWTs.