Abstract

With the increase in the economic impact of fossil fuel consumption over the past few decades, the demand for alternative sources of fuel for consumer consumption led to the initiation of scientific research related to renewable resources. The present research aims at analyzing the wind energy capability at low and high altitudes in low wind regions like the UAE (United Arab Emirates) by studying the different wind speed-altitude models and studying the potential of augmenting wind turbines performance using diffuser augmented-floating turbine systems incorporating the horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT). The study was conducted computationally using Ansys Fluent and MATLAB software. The k-ω SST (Shear Stress Transport) turbulent model was used to carry out the simulation and the power was determined from the computational result. The computational simulation for both the bare turbine and the shrouded turbine was run at a base wind velocity of 8m/s. The determination of the airfoil profile for the design of the annular shroud was carried out in MATLAB with the computational results as the input parameter. The buoyant calculations for the study were carried out entirely theoretically utilizing the literature as a reference and a prototype representation of the buoyant turbine system is presented. The presented results are determined through a comprehensive comparison study between a buoyant shrouded turbine system and a bare turbine at altitudes of 18 m and 200 m respectively at a design wind velocity of 8m/s. The study concluded that the 13m chord length variant of the KT (Karman-Trefftz) profile provided a maximum of 270% increase in the available wind power ratio and a maximum of 61% increase in the airflow rate within the annular shroud. The NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) symmetric airfoil having a thickness of 25% was selected based on annular shroud volume as the performance in symmetric airfoil did not converge and presented a consistent increase in its shroud performance with thickness increase. The power ratio for 0 and -2 degree AOA (Angle of Attack) of 13m KT profile variants presented better results in comparison to the others. In analyzing the turbine with the inclusion of the shroud, the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) performance results indicated a 201% increase in the generated turbine power when compared with the manufacturer's bare turbine power. The conceptual design of the shroud presented a net buoyant lift of 17.01% higher than the weight of the system while the lift is also 24.7% higher than the net drag of the system. The conceptual representation of the system design is also presented for better visualization of the system design.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Wind turbines--United Arab Emirates--Design and construction; Wind turbines--Aerodynamics

Publication Date

1-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Mechanical Engineering (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Mechanical Engineering (KGCOE)

Advisor

Ghalib Kahwaji

Advisor/Committee Member

Mohamed Samaba

Advisor/Committee Member

Mohammed Abdulrahman

Campus

RIT Dubai

Plan Codes

MECE-MS

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