Carleton University

Purpose

Wind power generation has been receiving significant attention in the past decades. There are two main types of wind turbines, i.e., the most commonly used horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) and the vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). In terms of overall performance VAWTs are equivalent to HAWTs. Although HAWTs are relatively well studied, VAWTs have received less attention throughout the years. For offshore applications in deep waters, the wind turbines can be placed on offshore platforms, and VAWT systems become more attractive when compared against HAWTs, due to a lower center of gravity. Wind power could also potentially reduce the usage of diesel power in northern Canada. In the present proposal, scaled 2-m height prototypes of novel VAWTs (with and without self-starting mechanisms) will be aerodynamically tested using wind tunnels and simulated using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) techniques.