3D DNS/ iLES Vortex Dynamics of Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines

This research aims to investigate vortex and wake dynamics within vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT) using the Nektar++ framework for 3D DNS/ iLES (implicit large eddy simulations) for the first time. VAWTs, with their omnidirectional wind capture, lower centre of gravity, and easier installation and maintenance compared to horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs), are promising for next-generation offshore wind energy to complement HAWT wind farms.
The vast breadth of VAWT vortex studies are based on unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS), which fall short of the inherent massive flow separations in VAWTs. A considerably smaller section of research uses explicit LES although this is usually coupled with the actuator line method (ALM), with the modelled turbine geometry compromising the wake accuracy, particularly within the near-wake. This project therefore aims to address this research gap, investigating flow behaviour uniquely revealed by DNS/ iLES geometrically resolved simulations.