Analysis of Archimedes Spiral Wind Turbine Performance by Simulation and Field Test

Abstract

In this study, the performance of an Archimedes spiral wind turbine is analyzed by simulation and validated by a field test. It is characterized as a horizontal-axis drag-type wind turbine. This type of wind turbine cannot be analyzed by the well-known Blade Element Momentum(BEM) theory or Double Stream Tube Method(DSTM) commonly used to analyze the performance of lift-type wind turbines. Therefore, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was applied. From the simulation, the power coefficient, known as the mechanical efficiency of the rotor, the tip speed ratio was obtained. The maximum power coefficient, and the corresponding tip speed ratio were found to be 0.293 and 2.19, respectively. In addition, the electrical efficiency with respect to the rotational speed of the generator was obtained through generator–controller test. The obtained mechanical and electrical efficiencies were used to predict the power curve of the wind turbine. Finally, the predicted performance of the wind turbine, including the electrical losses, was validated by the field test. The maximum error between the prediction and the measured power was found to be less than 7.80%.