Numerical Research on the Vortex Center on the Forward-Swept 3-D Wind Turbine Blades at Low Rotational Speed

This paper studies the CFD simulation of forward three-dimensional (3-D) horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) blades. Using logarithmic grid and Q-criterion to learn the vortex dynamics around the blades at low rotational speed. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation uses Q-criterion to probe vortices and logarithmic grid to emphasize the micro-gridding effect of the turbulent boundary layer. The visualization & measurement of the simulation results give the coefficient of pressure (Cp). For forward 3-D wind turbine blade, at low rotational speed, the strongly accelerated laminar region surrounds the lower blade, and the decelerated tip blade region coalesce each other give rise to a reverse limiting streamline, eroding the laminar region further until a little is left on the tip of the blade. The "reverse limiting streamline" grows inward radially, the area is narrowing closing to the leading edge of the blade tip. The second side of the rolled-up vortex appears the velocity ratio (Uc/Ulocal) of the second vortices are higher than the main vortex cores. For radius R=1.547 m, U=12 m/s, at 210 RPM, CL and CD values reach a maximum with fully laminar tip conditions. While at 120 RPM, the CL and CD values reach a minimum in the absence of laminar tips. The results show the detailed vortex dynamic pattern surround the blades, give more understanding to design laminar 3-D blade toward a noiseless wind turbine system.