Aerofoil profile modification effects for improved performance of a vertical axis wind turbine blade

Due to the growing need of sustainable energy technologies, wind energy is gaining more popularity day by day. For micro power generation vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) is preferred due to its simplicity and easy to install characteristics. This study investigates the effects of profile-modification on a NACA0015 aerofoil used in VAWTs. The profile-modifications being investigated consist of a combination of inward semi-circular dimple and Gurney flap at the lower surface of the aerofoil. The study also uses a Response Surface Analysis (RSA) based fully automated optimization technique to maximize the average torque produced by the wind turbine blade. The data set used in the RSA optimization is generated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. In order to ensure reliability, the model used in the CFD simulations is validated against previous experimental results. The optimized shape of the modified aerofoil is shown to improve in the aerodynamics of the wind turbine blade under both static and dynamic conditions.