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Review of Experimental Investigations on Wells Turbines for Wave Energy Conversion

Author

Listed:
  • Fabio Licheri

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Tiziano Ghisu

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Francesco Cambuli

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Pierpaolo Puddu

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

  • Mario Carta

    (Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy)

Abstract

Wells turbines are one of the most attractive types of rotating machines installed in Oscillating Water Column (OWC) devices, owing to their simplicity of construction and reliability. Their unconventional design, with symmetrical blades staggered orthogonally with respect to the axis of rotation, simultaneously represents one of the main strengths and weaknesses of the turbine, and makes their aerodynamic behavior complex and significantly different from that of other types of machines. The importance of numerical analyses in explaining the physics behind the Wells rotor operation has significantly grown in recent years as proved by the vast available literature. Nevertheless, experimental analyses still hold an important role in modern turbomachinery design, both for the validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models and for verifying the improvements suggested by optimized design in a realistic environment. This review aims to collect and classify published experimental studies on Wells turbines, distinguishing among the types of experimental setups, methodologies adopted, and measurements performed, to identify the current research gaps and guide future experimental research.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Licheri & Tiziano Ghisu & Francesco Cambuli & Pierpaolo Puddu & Mario Carta, 2025. "Review of Experimental Investigations on Wells Turbines for Wave Energy Conversion," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-30, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:12:p:3035-:d:1674379
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kim, T.H. & Setoguchi, T. & Kaneko, K. & Raghunathan, S., 2002. "Numerical investigation on the effect of blade sweep on the performance of Wells turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 235-248.
    2. Licheri, Fabio & Ghisu, Tiziano & Cambuli, Francesco & Puddu, Pierpaolo, 2022. "Detailed investigation of the local flow-field in a Wells turbine coupled to an OWC simulator," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 583-593.
    3. Setoguchi, T & Santhakumar, S & Takao, M & Kim, T.H & Kaneko, K, 2001. "Effect of guide vane shape on the performance of a Wells turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 1-15.
    4. Licheri, Fabio & Ghisu, Tiziano & Cambuli, Francesco & Puddu, Pierpaolo & Carta, Mario, 2025. "Effects of tip gap size and aspect ratio on the performance of a Wells turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    5. Stefanizzi, Michele & Camporeale, Sergio Mario & Torresi, Marco, 2023. "Experimental investigation of a Wells turbine under dynamic stall conditions for wave energy conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 369-382.
    6. Thakker, A. & Abdulhadi, R., 2008. "The performance of Wells turbine under bi-directional airflow," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 2467-2474.
    7. Licheri, Fabio & Ghisu, Tiziano & Cambuli, Francesco & Puddu, Pierpaolo, 2024. "Experimental reconstruction of the local flow field in a Wells turbine using a three-dimensional pressure probe," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    8. Moisel, Christoph & Carolus, Thomas H., 2016. "A facility for testing the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of bidirectional air turbines for ocean wave energy conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1340-1352.
    9. Maeda, H & Santhakumar, S & Setoguchi, T & Takao, M & Kinoue, Y & Kaneko, K, 1999. "Performance of an impulse turbine with fixed guide vanesfn2fn2Patent pending. for wave power conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 533-547.
    10. Torresi, M. & Camporeale, S.M. & Strippoli, P.D. & Pascazio, G., 2008. "Accurate numerical simulation of a high solidity Wells turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 735-747.
    11. Paderi, Maurizio & Puddu, Pierpaolo, 2013. "Experimental investigation in a Wells turbine under bi-directional flow," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 570-576.
    12. Setoguchi, T & Santhakumar, S & Maeda, H & Takao, M & Kaneko, K, 2001. "A review of impulse turbines for wave energy conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 261-292.
    13. Das, Tapas K. & Kumar, Kumud & Samad, Abdus, 2020. "Experimental Analysis of a Biplane Wells Turbine under Different Load Conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    14. Mohamed, M.H. & Janiga, G. & Pap, E. & Thévenin, D., 2011. "Multi-objective optimization of the airfoil shape of Wells turbine used for wave energy conversion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 438-446.
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