IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v256y2026ipis096014812502333x.html

Wake characteristics of 5-MW floating VAWTs under coupled pitch-surge motions: A numerical analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Dan
  • Chen, Junchao
  • Chen, Yaoran
  • Kuang, Limin
  • Wu, Zhenglong
  • Peng, Yan
  • Zhou, Dai
  • Tu, Yu

Abstract

The wake characteristics of floating vertical-axis wind turbines are critical to the performance of offshore wind farms. However, most existing studies rely on scaled models, leaving the behavior of full-scale turbines—especially under complex platform motions—largely unexplored. This study bridges that gap by investigating a full-scale 5-MW H-rotor floating vertical-axis wind turbine subjected to coupled pitch-surge motions, using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulations. We systematically analyze how the amplitudes and periods of these motions synergistically affect wake symmetry, velocity recovery, and vortex evolution. Results show that coupled pitch-surge motions accelerate wake recovery to 93 % of the inflow velocity at 7 rotor diameters downstream. While larger amplitudes and shorter periods enhance wake recovery, they may also introduce power anomalies. Full-scale turbine exhibits more coherent wake pattern under coupled pitch-surge motions compared to its 1:100 scaled counterpart, which experiences a 'wake core drift' due to scale effect and Magnus-induced vortex shedding. This work offers a theoretical foundation for wake modeling and wind farm layout optimization of full-scale vertical-axis wind turbines operating under complex floating platform dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Dan & Chen, Junchao & Chen, Yaoran & Kuang, Limin & Wu, Zhenglong & Peng, Yan & Zhou, Dai & Tu, Yu, 2026. "Wake characteristics of 5-MW floating VAWTs under coupled pitch-surge motions: A numerical analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(PI).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:256:y:2026:i:pi:s096014812502333x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.124669
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096014812502333X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2025.124669?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gupta, Antim & Abderrahmane, Hamid Ait & Janajreh, Isam, 2024. "Flow analysis and sensitivity study of vertical-axis wind turbine under variable pitching," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    2. Zhang, Jianhua & Liu, Zhicheng & Sun, Ke & Chea, Cheav Por & Wei, Mingyang & Zhang, Yiwei & Lin, Zaibin & Geng, Yan, 2025. "Vibration control and parametric optimization of tuned liquid column damper for offshore wind turbines during shutdown," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    3. Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim & Montazeri, Hamid & Blocken, Bert, 2019. "On the accuracy of turbulence models for CFD simulations of vertical axis wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 838-857.
    4. Fan, Shuanglong & Liu, Zhenqing, 2025. "Wind tunnel investigation of wake dynamics of floating offshore wind turbines under different inflow conditions and pitch-surge coupling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    5. Kuang, Limin & Katsuchi, Hiroshi & Zhou, Dai & Chen, Yaoran & Han, Zhaolong & Zhang, Kai & Wang, Jiaqi & Bao, Yan & Cao, Yong & Liu, Yijie, 2023. "Strategy for mitigating wake interference between offshore vertical-axis wind turbines: Evaluation of vertically staggered arrangement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    6. Zanforlin, Stefania & Nishino, Takafumi, 2016. "Fluid dynamic mechanisms of enhanced power generation by closely spaced vertical axis wind turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1213-1226.
    7. Yadav, Sandeep & Veeravalli, Srinivas V. & Singh, Sidh Nath, 2024. "Effect of rotor spacing, overlapping and non-overlapping, on the performance of a coupled counter-rotating twin-rotor VAWT using CFD," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    8. Zhang, Dan & Wu, Zhenglong & Chen, Yaoran & Kuang, Limin & Peng, Yan & Zhou, Dai & Tu, Yu, 2024. "Full-scale vs. scaled aerodynamics of 5-MW offshore VAWTs under pitch motion: A numerical analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 372(C).
    9. Fu, Shifeng & Li, Zheng & Zhu, Weijun & Han, Xingxing & Liang, Xiaoling & Yang, Hua & Shen, Wenzhong, 2023. "Study on aerodynamic performance and wake characteristics of a floating offshore wind turbine under pitch motion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 317-325.
    10. Cheng, Zhengshun & Madsen, Helge Aagaard & Gao, Zhen & Moan, Torgeir, 2017. "Effect of the number of blades on the dynamics of floating straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 1285-1298.
    11. Balduzzi, Francesco & Bianchini, Alessandro & Maleci, Riccardo & Ferrara, Giovanni & Ferrari, Lorenzo, 2016. "Critical issues in the CFD simulation of Darrieus wind turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 419-435.
    12. Han, Cong & Banerjee, Arindam, 2024. "Near wake evolution of a tidal stream turbine due to asymmetric sheared turbulent inflow with different integral length scales," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(PD).
    13. Lei, Hang & Su, Jie & Bao, Yan & Chen, Yaoran & Han, Zhaolong & Zhou, Dai, 2019. "Investigation of wake characteristics for the offshore floating vertical axis wind turbines in pitch and surge motions of platforms," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 471-489.
    14. Tran, Thanh Toan & Kim, Dong-Hyun, 2016. "A CFD study into the influence of unsteady aerodynamic interference on wind turbine surge motion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 204-228.
    15. Lei, Hang & Zhou, Dai & Lu, Jiabao & Chen, Caiyong & Han, Zhaolong & Bao, Yan, 2017. "The impact of pitch motion of a platform on the aerodynamic performance of a floating vertical axis wind turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 369-383.
    16. Su, Jie & Li, Yu & Chen, Yaoran & Han, Zhaolong & Zhou, Dai & Zhao, Yongsheng & Bao, Yan, 2021. "Aerodynamic performance assessment of φ-type vertical axis wind turbine under pitch motion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    17. Su, Jie & Chen, Yaoran & Han, Zhaolong & Zhou, Dai & Bao, Yan & Zhao, Yongsheng, 2020. "Investigation of V-shaped blade for the performance improvement of vertical axis wind turbines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    18. Hand, Brian & Kelly, Ger & Cashman, Andrew, 2021. "Aerodynamic design and performance parameters of a lift-type vertical axis wind turbine: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    19. Liu, Qingsong & Bashir, Musa & Iglesias, Gregorio & Miao, Weipao & Yue, Minnan & Xu, Zifei & Yang, Yang & Li, Chun, 2024. "Investigation of aero-hydro-elastic-mooring behavior of a H-type floating vertical axis wind turbine using coupled CFD-FEM method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 372(C).
    20. Wenfeng, Li & Zhenzhou, Zhao & Yige, Liu & Huiwen, Liu & Shangshang, Wei & Ali, Kashif & Guodan, Dong & Yan, Liu & Yuanzhuo, Ma, 2025. "Investigation of dynamic wake model of a floating offshore wind turbine under heave, surge and pitch motion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kuang, Limin & Katsuchi, Hiroshi & Zhou, Dai & Chen, Yaoran & Han, Zhaolong & Zhang, Kai & Wang, Jiaqi & Bao, Yan & Cao, Yong & Liu, Yijie, 2023. "Strategy for mitigating wake interference between offshore vertical-axis wind turbines: Evaluation of vertically staggered arrangement," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    2. Zhang, Dan & Wu, Zhenglong & Chen, Yaoran & Kuang, Limin & Peng, Yan & Zhou, Dai & Tu, Yu, 2024. "Full-scale vs. scaled aerodynamics of 5-MW offshore VAWTs under pitch motion: A numerical analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 372(C).
    3. Liu, Dongsheng & Deng, Wanru & Liu, Liqin & Yang, Wei, 2025. "A numerical framework for analyzing the coupled aero-wake-hydro-structural dynamics of large floating vertical axis wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    4. Yang, Hongkun & Zhao, Muyu & Tian, Zhitong & Yan, Han & Tian, Gaoliang & Lai, Wenbin & Zheng, Xiongbo, 2025. "Aerodynamic response and wake evolution of floating vertical axis wind turbines under different motion modes and parameters," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    5. He, Zixiao & Yang, Xudong & Sun, Haiying, 2026. "A review on modeling, simulation and experiment of dynamic wake effect of floating offshore wind turbines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 406(C).
    6. Lei, Hang & Zhou, Dai & Bao, Yan & Chen, Caiyong & Ma, Ning & Han, Zhaolong, 2017. "Numerical simulations of the unsteady aerodynamics of a floating vertical axis wind turbine in surge motion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 1-17.
    7. Zheng, H.-D. & Zheng, X.Y. & Zhao, S.X., 2020. "Arrangement of clustered straight-bladed wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    8. Zhang, Zhihao & Yang, Haoran & Wang, Runzhong & Zhang, Kai & Zhou, Dai & Zhu, Hongbo & Zhang, Puyang & Han, Zhaolong & Cao, Yong & Tu, Jiahuang, 2025. "Effects of combined platform rotation and pitch motions on aerodynamic loading and wake recovery of a single-point moored twin-rotor floating wind turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    9. Liu, Qingsong & Huang, Haoda & Iglesias, Gregorio & Wang, Jin & Bashir, Musa, 2025. "Fully coupled aero-hydrodynamic analysis of floating vertical axis wind turbines in staggered configurations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    10. Rezaeiha, Abdolrahim & Micallef, Daniel, 2021. "Wake interactions of two tandem floating offshore wind turbines: CFD analysis using actuator disc model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 859-876.
    11. Abdolahifar, Abolfazl & Montazeri, Hamid & Zanj, Amir, 2026. "Towards enhanced startup performance of Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbines: Key flow features at moderate tip speed ratios," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(PB).
    12. Zhang, Buen & Jin, Yaqing & Cheng, Shyuan & Zheng, Yuan & Chamorro, Leonardo P., 2022. "On the dynamics of a model wind turbine under passive tower oscillations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    13. Peng, H.Y. & Liu, H.J. & Yang, J.H., 2021. "A review on the wake aerodynamics of H-rotor vertical axis wind turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    14. Baizhuma, Zhandos & Kalassov, Nurdaulet & Manatbayev, Rustem & Isataev, Muhtar & Seydulla, Zhanibek & Georgiev, Aleksandar, 2026. "Time-resolved CFD analysis of torque generation in an L-shaped vertical-axis wind turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 344(C).
    15. Ni, Lulu & Miao, Weipao & Li, Chun & Liu, Qingsong, 2021. "Impacts of Gurney flap and solidity on the aerodynamic performance of vertical axis wind turbines in array configurations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PA).
    16. Fan, Shuanglong & Liu, Zhenqing, 2025. "Experimental investigation of pitch and surge motion effects on wake characteristics of a floating offshore wind turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    17. Shen, Zhuang & Gong, Shuguang & Zu, Hongxiao & Guo, Weiyu, 2024. "Multi-objective optimization study on the performance of double Darrieus hybrid vertical axis wind turbine based on DOE-RSM and MOPSO-MODM," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    18. Xu, Zhongyun & Chen, Jian & Li, Chun, 2023. "Research on the adaptability of dynamic pitch control strategies on H-type VAWT close-range arrays by simulation study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    19. Barnes, Andrew & Marshall-Cross, Daniel & Hughes, Ben Richard, 2021. "Towards a standard approach for future Vertical Axis Wind Turbine aerodynamics research and development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    20. Hand, Brian & Cashman, Andrew, 2018. "Aerodynamic modeling methods for a large-scale vertical axis wind turbine: A comparative study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(PA), pages 12-31.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:256:y:2026:i:pi:s096014812502333x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.