Analyzing and Validating Energy Performance through Computational Simulation of a Helical Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Abstract

The planning and analysis of a computational study of a wind turbine are conducted starting from the geometric and physical conditions of a system provided by the manufacturer, up to its simulation using fluid dynamics software. This approach allows for comparing the performance curves of the turbine and developing a planning model to simulate the behavior of new wind systems before their manufacture. The study is based on the fact that many of these designs are currently available commercially through various manufacturers, who sometimes do not provide performance specifications for these devices. Therefore, it is a necessary objective in the field of design engineering to use computational tools that allow the development of the geometry of a helical vertical-axis wind turbine, as well as the simulation and analysis of fluid dynamics and energy performance results, thus validating the systems before their purchase and implementation. The study provided velocity field profiles throughout the turbine for operating ranges from 0 to 12 m/s, as well as the ideal and operational power coefficient of the simulated turbine, along with the energy potential it can generate. It is worth mentioning that the ideal performance obtained through the simulated model corresponds to an additional 20% of the performance presented by the manufacturer's data, highlighting an 80% conversion efficiency from mechanical to electrical power. The study concludes that the values obtained by simulating the turbine and comparing them with the manufacturer's parameters align satisfactorily, dispelling doubts about the energy performance of the studied turbine.