Determining the performance of a Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine using a combined CFD/BEM method

Abstract

Traditionally, the optimisation of a Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine has focused on maximising power output. However, due to the often less than ideal location of small-scale turbines, cut-in speed and starting time are of equal importance in maximising Annual Energy Production, which is the ultimate goal of any wind turbine design. This paper proposes a method of determining power output, cut-in speed and starting time using a combination of Computational Fluid Dynamics and Blade Element Momentum theory. The proposed method has been validated against published experimental data.