Effect of Single-Row and Double-Row Passive Vortex Generators on the Deep Dynamic Stall of a Wind Turbine Airfoil

Abstract

Passive vortex generators (VGs) have been widely applied on wind turbines to boost the aerodynamic performance. Although VGs can delay the onset of static stall, the effect of VGs on dynamic stall is still incompletely understood. Therefore, this paper aims at investigating the deep dynamic stall of NREL S809 airfoil controlled by single-row and double-row VGs. The URANS method with VGs fully resolved is used to simulate the unsteady airfoil flow. Firstly, both single-row and double-row VGs effectively suppress the flow separation and reduce the fluctuations in aerodynamic forces when the airfoil pitches up. The maximum lift coefficient is therefore increased beyond 40%, and the onset of deep dynamic stall is also delayed. This suggests that deep dynamic-stall behaviors can be properly controlled by VGs. Secondly, there is a great difference in aerodynamic performance between single-row and double-row VGs when the airfoil pitches down. Single-row VGs severely reduce the aerodynamic pitch damping by 64%, thereby undermining the torsional aeroelastic stability of airfoil. Double-row VGs quickly restore the decreased aerodynamic efficiency near the maximum angle of attack, and also significantly accelerate the flow reattachment. The second-row VGs can help the near-wall flow to withstand the adverse pressure gradient and then suppress the trailing-edge flow separation, particularly during the downstroke process. Generally, double-row VGs are better than single-row VGs concerning controlling deep dynamic stall. This work also gives a performance assessment of VGs in controlling the highly unsteady aerodynamic forces of a wind turbine airfoil.

Keywords

• deep dynamic stall
• passive vortex generators
• wind turbine airfoil
• URANS simulations