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CFD simulations targeting the performance of the NTNU BT1 wind turbine using overset grids

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Abstract

In the present study, the performance of the NTNU Blind Test 1 wind turbine is analyzed in the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations by using the CFD code FANS with structured overset grids. First, the numerical methods including the governing equations, the turbulence closure model, and the flow solver are introduced. In addition, the NTNU BT1 wind tunnel experiment is described. Then, structured overset grid blocks are generated in the computational domain with fully resolved wind turbine geometry, including the blades, hub, nacelle, and tower. Afterward, unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations with the two-layer k - ε turbulence model are performed with an inlet velocity of 10 m/s and a tip-speed ratio (TSR) of 6. The overset-grid capability of FANS is leveraged to handle the rotation of the rotor. Finally, simulations are performed for a range of TSRs and a comparison is made among the present CFD results, other numerical results obtained from representative methods, and the experimental data. It is observed that the CFD-predicted thrust coefficients match the experimental measurement at low TSRs while under-predicting the values at high TSRs, and potential reasons for this deviation are discussed.

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Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank the High Performance Research Computing (HPRC) Center of Texas A&M University for providing the computational resources.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computational Marine Hydrodynamics Lab (CMHL), School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Mao-kun Ye & De-cheng Wan

  2. Key Laboratory of Far-shore Wind Power Technology of Zhejiang Province, Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, Hangzhou, 310014, China

    Ni-na Wang

  3. Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

    Hamn-Ching Chen

Authors
  1. Mao-kun Ye
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  2. Ni-na Wang
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  4. De-cheng Wan
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Correspondence to De-cheng Wan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Hamn-Ching Chen, De-cheng Wan are editorial board members for the Journal of Hydrodynamics and was not involved in the editorial review, or the decision to publish this article. All authors declare that there are no other competing interests.

Ethical approval: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52131102).

Biography: Mao-kun Ye (1994-), Male, Ph. D.

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Ye, Mk., Wang, Nn., Chen, HC. et al. CFD simulations targeting the performance of the NTNU BT1 wind turbine using overset grids. J Hydrodyn 35, 954–962 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-023-0065-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-023-0065-4

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