Thursday, August 23, 2012

Wind turbines simulated over a complex terrain


This is my first try to solve a CFD case for two wind turbines over a complex terrain. OpenFOAM is used to solve the full 3D Navier-Stokes equations using the k – ε turbulence closure scheme appropriately parameterized for atmospheric flows. The rotor disks are approximated as a momentum sink, to represent the axial force across the disk, associated with a constant thrust coefficient over the rotor area. Enjoy!




Import the terrain.stl




Meshing the geometry




Set up two actuator discs




Velocity X (zero at the ground)




Kinetic k [1.4, 3.6]
  




Dissipation rate ε [0.1, 1]






Below the results of velocity-X and kinetic-k as they have been presented in an iso-surface near the hub height of the wind turbine rotors, inside the atmosperic boundary layer.
  

 Velocity X - near the hub height
(atmospheric boundary layer)




Kinetic k - near the hub height
(atmospheric boundary layer)