Simulation study of horizontal axis wind turbine using PVC pipe propeller with elbow tip

Abstract

The potential of wind as an energy resource is still not widely used by the community through simple technology to produce electrical power. One simple technology is to use PVC pipe as the basic material for making wind turbine propellers. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of variations in angle of attack and wind speed on the performance of a PVC pipe propeller wind turbine with an Elbow Tip. Material of blade propeller made by PVC pipe are slice half and twist from hub until tip with 90 degree of rotation. Dimension of width blade wider on the hub (3/4 of circular) and smaller on the tip (1/7 of circular). Face of blade on the hub side facing wind direction (axial) and face of blade on the tip side facing tangential direction or opposite with rotation. On the tip side installed the slice elbow with fit tip blade width. The propeller using PVC pipe with elbow tip is the important part of new design which has been test with CFD simulation and wind tunnel research with best result performance. This research uses CFD simulation and experimental methods with a comprehensive study of the aerodynamic behaviour characteristics in and around the turbine rotor. The results of the CFD simulation was found that the phenomenon positioning of momentum force were place on the outer radius due to addition elbow tip cause increasing the torque. By using elbow tip on blade propeller PVC Pipe Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine with 15° and 30° angle of attack could increasing torque about 200 % than without the elbow tip. Beside, using 45° angle of attack although additional with elbow tip could not increasing the torque when the wind speed on 7 m/s. The result of this research is important to know by public who interest build small grid wind turbine with low cost and easy manufacturing.