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Analysis of Two-Dimensional Airfoil Models as Harvesters of Energy

Abstract:

The use of airfoils that describe heave and pitching movements simultaneously to extract energy from oncoming fluid, as a turbine, is one of the promising concepts in renewable energy. In the present study, the efficiency of two airfoils or “wings” such as NACA 0020 and NACA 1412 to extract energy from oncoming water is investigated while they move through steady laminar (Re = 735, Re = 1100). Ansys Fluent is the software used for simulating in which a programming code in C language is developed and applied to airfoils in order to achieve the oscillatory movement. By other side, theory of feathering parameter χ > 1 is applied as a necessary condition for power-extraction regime. Therefore, values between 1 < χ < 2.5 were tested. In addition, the study of effects on parameters when vary nondimensional frequency 0 < f∗ < 0.30 and heaving amplitude 0.25 · chord ≤ H0 ≤ 1 · chord, when Re = 735, and pitching axis is located at 33% of the chord length are presented as well as a mapping of efficiency for both airfoils. The results obtained due to variation on parameters are discussed, hoping to have an efficiency greater than 10% for both airfoils and greater than 30% when Ho/chord = 0.5.