Computational Fluid Dynamics Studies of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with a Variable Swept Area

The article presents the results of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) research on a vertical axis wind turbine with a variable swept area. The tested turbine has four sets of blades, each of which consists of two moving parts. By changing the angle between these parts, it is possible to change the swept area of the turbine wheel to adjust the characteristics of the turbine to the current wind speed. In the case of strong wind, it is possible to fold blades to protect the rotor against damage. The 3D-CFD model was tested using the ANSYS Fluent software. The four rotors differing in the blade angle were analyzed. The tests were carried out for different wind speeds. The results are presented as pressure and velocity distributions as well as streamlines around the rotor. In addition, the waveforms of the torque acting on a single blade and on the entire rotor are shown. The average rotor torque was also calculated. These findings enabled us to create the characteristics of the power factor for different rotational speeds of the rotor. The results show that the adjustment of the swept area makes the z-turbine have a flexible operating range.