Analysis on the Mechanism of Different Operating Conditions for DBD Plasma Excitation on Savonius VAWT

Abstract

Loading a dielectric barrier discharge plasma excitation on a Savonius wind turbine can improve its performance. To study the mechanism of performance improvement, the effects of three pairs of plasma excitations at different positions were comparatively studied by means of numerical simulation, and it was found that the middle position was the best for plasma excitation loading. Then, two plasma excitations in opposite directions were set at this position, and the effects were compared. The results show that plasma excitation can generate a high-velocity airflow, which can affect the velocity distribution around the blade, thereby changing the pressure distribution, and therefore the performance of the Savonius wind turbine. The effect of two opposite directions of plasma excitation loaded at the optimum position on the performance of the wind turbine varies with the change of the TSRs. When the TSR is relatively small, the influence of the two directions is very different. While the TSR is relatively large, the influence of the two directions is close.