Publication: Hydrokinetic savonius turbine for sustainable energy in low-speed flows
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Date
2024-01-01
Authors
Abdullah, Mohd Safie
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Abstract
Hydrokinetic turbine (HKT) technology is both cost-effective and reliable, producing clean energy with minimal environmental impact. The goal of this research
is to improve the power performance (𝐶𝑝) of a Savonius HKT in a low-speed river in Malaysia (Re < 1.5 × 105). Two methods are proposed to improve 𝐶𝑝 in this study. The first method involves developing and optimizing a novel blade profile using 3D CFD simulation with a systematic Design of Experiment (DOE). The best design out of 625 options was determined statistically using the Taguchi method and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The novel blade enhances 𝐶𝑝 by approximately 10.9% compared to the conventional design at optimal tip-speed ratio (TSR) (best 𝐶𝑝 = 0.159) and 16.7% improvement at higher TSR value of 0.9 (𝐶𝑝 = 0.158). Moreover, the novel blade outperforms the nature-inspired blade (golden spiral blade profile) by 27% in terms of efficiency. The second method focuses on developing and optimizing a new augmentation device called the wake accelerator. The device utilizes the Magnus Effect to improve overall flow by altering the wake profile behind the turbine. The Taguchi method and ANOVA were used to optimize the size, position, and location of the device. The 𝐶𝑝 improved by 83.73% at TSR = 1.1 (best 𝐶𝑝 = 0.4450). Additionally, this thesis investigates the effect of turbine size on structural behavior during stationary
operation under various loading conditions. It provides insights into stress concentration around the turbine rotor, potential issues, and the optimal rotor angle for
maintenance to minimize the stress. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) simulations in this study are well-established and
validated for precision and accuracy .