A Comparative Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on an Innovative Exhaust Air Energy Recovery Wind Turbine Generator

Seyedsaeed Tabatabaeikia; Nik Nazri Bin Nik-Ghazali; Wen Tong Chong; Behzad Shahizare; Ahmad Fazlizan; Alireza Esmaeilzadeh; Nima Izadyar

doi:10.3390/en9050346

Energies (May 2016)

A Comparative Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on an Innovative Exhaust Air Energy Recovery Wind Turbine Generator

Seyedsaeed Tabatabaeikia,
Nik Nazri Bin Nik-Ghazali,
Wen Tong Chong,
Behzad Shahizare,
Ahmad Fazlizan,
Alireza Esmaeilzadeh,
Nima Izadyar

Affiliations

Seyedsaeed Tabatabaeikia: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Nik Nazri Bin Nik-Ghazali: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Wen Tong Chong: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Behzad Shahizare: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Ahmad Fazlizan: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Alireza Esmaeilzadeh: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Nima Izadyar: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en9050346
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 5
p. 346

Abstract

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Recovering energy from exhaust air systems of building cooling towers is an innovative idea. A specific wind turbine generator was designed in order to achieve this goal. This device consists of two Giromill vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) combined with four guide vanes and two diffuser plates. It was clear from previous literatures that no comprehensive flow behavior study had been carried out on this innovative device. Therefore, the working principle of this design was simulated using the Analysis System (ANSYS) Fluent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package and the results were compared to experimental ones. It was perceived from the results that by introducing the diffusers and then the guide vanes, the overall power output of the wind turbine was improved by approximately 5% and 34%, respectively, compared to using VAWT alone. In the case of the diffusers, the optimum angle was found to be 7°, while for guide vanes A and B, it was 70° and 60° respectively. These results were in good agreement with experimental results obtained in the previous experimental study. Overall, it can be concluded that exhaust air recovery turbines are a promising form of green technology.

Published in Energies

ISSN: 1996-1073 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies

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