CFD Modeling of Airfoil of wind turbine under different effect of operating conditions

Abstract

Wind energy has been attracting more and more attentions due to its clean and renewable source. The aerodynamic characteristic of wind turbine airfoil directly affects the turbine efficiency. In this paper, Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the two-dimensional air flow over a wind turbine NACA 2414 airfoil at various angles of attack and operating Reynolds number are presented. Aerodynamics airfoil performance which were represented by Lift Coefficient (Cl), Drag Coefficient (Cd) and Lift-to-Drag ratio (Cl/Cd) are determined. The geometry of the airfoil is created using NACA parametric curves in COMSOL Multiphasics Design Modeler. CFD analysis is carried out using Comsol models at various angles of attack starting from -5° to 15°, and at seven various operating condition of Reynolds number (Re = 103, 5×103, 104 , 5×104, 105, 5×105, and 106 ). Pressure and velocity distributions over finite surface areas of NACA 2414 airfoil for different angles of attack and Reynolds number are presented. Aerodynamic performance coefficients are plotted against the angle of attack. Lift to Drag Ratio at various wind speeds of (u=0.001 m/s, 1 m/s, 5 m/s, 10 m/s and 15 m/s) for the airfoil graph is plotted.

The results is clearly noticed that CL/ CD is linearly increases as the value of angle of attack is increased and after a certain angle of attack it is decreased and this angle is called stalling angle. The results showed that the effect of varying Reynolds number was important on aerodynamic performance and on pressure and velocity distributions over the surface of airfoil.