Articles | Volume 10, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-381-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-381-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Effect of blade inclination angle for straight-bladed vertical-axis wind turbines
Laurence Morgan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, Scotland
Abbas Kazemi Amiri
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, Scotland
William Leithead
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, Scotland
James Carroll
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, Scotland
Related authors
Adhyanth Giri Ajay, Laurence Morgan, Yan Wu, David Bretos, Aurelio Cascales, Oscar Pires, and Carlos Ferreira
Wind Energ. Sci., 9, 453–470, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-453-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-453-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This paper compares six different numerical models to predict the performance of an X-shaped vertical-axis wind turbine, offering insights into how it works in 3D when its blades are fixed at specific angles. The results showed the 3D models here reliably predict the performance while still taking this turbine's complex aerodynamics into account compared to 2D models. Further, these blade angles caused more complexity in predicting the turbine's behaviour, which is highlighted in this paper.
Kayacan Kestel, Xavier Chesterman, Donatella Zappalá, Simon Watson, Mingxin Li, Edward Hart, James Carroll, Yolanda Vidal, Amir R. Nejad, Shawn Sheng, Yi Guo, Matthias Stammler, Florian Wirsing, Ahmed Saleh, Nico Gregarek, Thao Baszenski, Thomas Decker, Martin Knops, Georg Jacobs, Benjamin Lehmann, Florian König, Ines Pereira, Pieter-Jan Daems, Cédric Peeters, and Jan Helsen
Wind Energ. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2025-168, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2025-168, 2025
Preprint under review for WES
Short summary
Short summary
Wind energy use has been rapidly expanding worldwide in recent years. Driven by global decarbonization goals and energy security concerns, this growth is expected to continue. To achieve these targets, production costs must decrease, with operation and maintenance being major contributors. This paper reviews current and emerging technologies for monitoring wind turbine drivetrains and highlights key academic and industrial challenges that may hinder progress.
Orla Donnelly, Fraser Anderson, and James Carroll
Wind Energ. Sci., 9, 1345–1362, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-1345-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-1345-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We collate the latest reliability data in operations and maintenance (O&M) for offshore wind turbines, specifically large turbines of 15 MW. We use these data to model O&M of an offshore wind farm at three different sites. We compare two industry-dominant drivetrain configurations in terms of O&M cost for 15 MW turbines and determine if previous results for smaller turbines still hold true. Comparisons between drivetrains are topical within industry, and we produce cost comparisons for them.
Adhyanth Giri Ajay, Laurence Morgan, Yan Wu, David Bretos, Aurelio Cascales, Oscar Pires, and Carlos Ferreira
Wind Energ. Sci., 9, 453–470, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-453-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-453-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This paper compares six different numerical models to predict the performance of an X-shaped vertical-axis wind turbine, offering insights into how it works in 3D when its blades are fixed at specific angles. The results showed the 3D models here reliably predict the performance while still taking this turbine's complex aerodynamics into account compared to 2D models. Further, these blade angles caused more complexity in predicting the turbine's behaviour, which is highlighted in this paper.
Amir R. Nejad, Jonathan Keller, Yi Guo, Shawn Sheng, Henk Polinder, Simon Watson, Jianning Dong, Zian Qin, Amir Ebrahimi, Ralf Schelenz, Francisco Gutiérrez Guzmán, Daniel Cornel, Reza Golafshan, Georg Jacobs, Bart Blockmans, Jelle Bosmans, Bert Pluymers, James Carroll, Sofia Koukoura, Edward Hart, Alasdair McDonald, Anand Natarajan, Jone Torsvik, Farid K. Moghadam, Pieter-Jan Daems, Timothy Verstraeten, Cédric Peeters, and Jan Helsen
Wind Energ. Sci., 7, 387–411, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-7-387-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-7-387-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents the state-of-the-art technologies and development trends of wind turbine drivetrains – the energy conversion systems transferring the kinetic energy of the wind to electrical energy – in different stages of their life cycle: design, manufacturing, installation, operation, lifetime extension, decommissioning and recycling. The main aim of this article is to review the drivetrain technology development as well as to identify future challenges and research gaps.
James Stirling, Edward Hart, and Abbas Kazemi Amiri
Wind Energ. Sci., 6, 15–31, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-6-15-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-6-15-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This paper considers the modelling of wind turbine main bearings using analytical models. The validity of simplified analytical representations is explored by comparing main-bearing force reactions with those obtained from higher-fidelity 3D finite-element models. Results indicate that good agreement can be achieved between the analytical and 3D models in the case of both non-moment-reacting (such as for a spherical roller bearing) and moment-reacting (such as a tapered roller bearing) set-ups.
Cited articles
Bianchini, A., Balduzzi, F., Rainbird, J. M., Peiro, J., Graham, J. M. R., Ferrara, G., and Ferrari, L.: An experimental and numerical assessment of airfoil polars for use in Darrieus wind turbines – Part II: Post-stall data extrapolation methods, J. Eng. Gas Turb. Power, 138, 032603, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4031270, 2016. a
Bianchini, A., Balduzzi, F., Bachant, P., Ferrara, G., and Ferrari, L.: Effectiveness of two-dimensional CFD simulations for Darrieus VAWTs: a combined numerical and experimental assessment, Energ. Convers. Manage., 136, 318–328, 2017. a
Bianchini, A., Balduzzi, F., Ferrara, G., Persico, G., Dossena, V., and Ferrari, L.: A Critical Analysis on Low-Order Simulation Models for Darrieus Vawts: How Much Do They Pertain to the Real Flow?, J. Eng. Gas Turb. Power, 141, 011018, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4040851, 2018. a
Borg, M., Collu, M., and Brennan, F. P.: Offshore floating vertical axis wind turbines: Advantages, disadvantages, and dynamics modelling state of the art, RINA, Royal Institution of Naval Architects – International Conference on Marine and Offshore Renewable Energy 2012, London, UK, 26–27 September 2012, 33–46, 2012. a
Cordis: X-ROTOR: X-shaped Radical Offshore wind Turbine for Overall cost of energy Reduction, https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101007135 (last access: September 2023), 2023. a
Drela, M.: XFOIL: An Analysis and Design System for Low Reynolds Number Airfoils, in: Low Reynolds Number Aerodynamics, edited by: Mueller, T. J., Lecture Notes in Engineering, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84010-4_1, 1–12, 1989. a
Ferreira, C.: D2.1 Aero-elastic dynamic model capable of modelling the X-Rotor, Zenodo, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6967489, 2021. a
Ferreira, C. S., Madsen, H. A., Barone, M., Roscher, B., Deglaire, P., and Arduin, I.: Comparison of aerodynamic models for vertical axis wind turbines, J. Phys. Conf. Ser., 524, 012125, https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/524/1/012125, 2014. a
Giri Ajay, A., Morgan, L., Wu, Y., Bretos, D., Cascales, A., Pires, O., and Ferreira, C.: Aerodynamic model comparison for an X-shaped vertical-axis wind turbine, Wind Energ. Sci., 9, 453–470, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-453-2024, 2024. a, b, c, d
Hand, B. and Cashman, A.: A review on the historical development of the lift-type vertical axis wind turbine: From onshore to offshore floating application, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 38, 100646, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2020.100646, 2020. a
Hand, B., Kelly, G., and Cashman, A.: Aerodynamic design and performance parameters of a lift-type vertical axis wind turbine: A comprehensive review, Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 139, 110699, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110699, 2021. a, b
Huang, M.: Wake and wind farm aerodynamics of vertical axis wind turbines, Thesis, TU Delft, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110699, 2023. a
IRENA: World Energy Transitions Outlook 2022: 1.5 °C Pathway, International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi, ISBN 978-92-9260-429-5, 2022. a
Jasak, H.: OpenFOAM: Open source CFD in research and industry, Int. J. Nav. Arch. Ocean, 1, 89–94, 2009. a
Laneville, A. and Vittecoq, P.: Dynamic Stall: The Case of the Vertical Axis Wind Turbine, J. Sol. Energ.-T. ASME, 108, 140–145, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3268081, 1986. a
Lee, J. and Zhao, F. (Eds.): Global Wind Report 2021, Global Wind Energy Council, Brussels, Belgium, https://gwec.net/global-wind-report-2021/ (last access: 9 December 2024), 2021. a
Leithead, W., Camciuc, A., Amiri, A. K., and Carroll, J.: The X-Rotor offshore wind turbine concept, J. Phys. Conf. Ser., 1356, 012031, https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1356/1/012031, 2019. a, b, c
Loth, J. L. and McCoy, H.: Optimization of Darrieus turbines with an upwind and downwind momentum model, J. Energy, 7, 313–318, 1983. a
Madsen, H., Larsen, T., Vita, L., and Paulsen, U.: Implementation of the Actuator Cylinder flow model in the HAWC2 code for aeroelastic simulations on Vertical Axis Wind Turbines, in: 51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, Grapevine, Texas, USA, 7–10 January 2013, p. 913, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2013-913, 2013. a
Madsen, H. A.: On the ideal and real energy conversion in a straight bladed vertical axis wind turbine, PhD thesis, Institute of Industrial Constructions and Energy Technology, Aalborg University Center, 1983. a
Marten, D., Bianchini, A., Pechlivanoglou, G., Balduzzi, F., Nayeri, C. N., Ferrara, G., Paschereit, C. O., and Ferrari, L.: Effects of Airfoil's Polar Data in the Stall Region on the Estimation of Darrieus Wind Turbine Performance, J. Eng. Gas Turb. Power, 139, 022606, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4034326, 2016. a
Morgan, L. and Leithead, W.: Aerodynamic modelling of a novel vertical axis wind turbine concept, J. Phys. Conf. Ser., 2257, 012001, https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2257/1/012001, 2022. a, b
Morgan, L., Leithead, W., and Carroll, J.: On the use of secondary rotors for vertical axis wind turbine power take-off, Wind Energy, 27, 569–582, https://doi.org/10.1002/we.2901, 2024. a, b
Paraschivoiu, I.: Wind turbine design: with emphasis on Darrieus concept, Presses inter Polytechnique, ISBN 9782553009310, 2002. a
Park, J.: Simplified Wind Power Systems for Experimenters, Helion, https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iMAQAQAAMAAJ (last access: 9 December 2024), 1976. a
Prandtl, L., Betz, A., Klassiker der Strömungsmechanik, G., and Abhandlungen, V.: Vier Abhandlungen zur Hydrodynamik und Aerodynamik, https://doi.org/10.17875/gup2010-106, 1927. a
Price, T. J.: UK large-scale wind power programme from 1970 to 1990: the Carmarthen Bay experiments and the musgrove vertical-axis turbines, Wind Engineering, 30, 225–242, 2006. a
Rainbird, J. M., Bianchini, A., Balduzzi, F., Peiró, J., Graham, J. M. R., Ferrara, G., and Ferrari, L.: On the influence of virtual camber effect on airfoil polars for use in simulations of Darrieus wind turbines, Energ. Convers. Manage., 106, 373–384, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2015.09.053, 2015. a
Robotham, A., Sharpe, D., Taylor, D., and Boyle, G.: Further Developments in the Taylor 'V' Type VAWT Concept, in: Intersol 85: 9th Biennial Congress of the International Solar Energy Society, Montreal, Canada, 23–29 June 1985, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-033177-5.50383-5, 2042–2046, 1985. a
Sharpe, D.: Refinements and developments of the multiple streamtube theory for the aerodynamic performance of vertical axis wind turbines, in: Proceedings of the 6th British Wind Energy Association Conference, Reading, UK, 28–30 March, 148–159, ISBN 978-0521268998, 1984. a
Sharpe, D., Taylor, D., and Boyle, G.: Developments with the “V”-type vectical axis wind turbine, in: Proceedings ofthe 9th British Wind Energy Association Conference, Edinburgh, UK, 1–3 April 1987, 221–224, 1987. a
Shires, A.: Development and evaluation of an aerodynamic model for a novel vertical axis wind turbine concept, Energies, 6, 2501–2520, https://doi.org/10.3390/en6052501, 2013b. a, b
Sutherland, H. J., Berg, D. E., and Ashwill, T. D.: A Retrospective of VAWT Technology, Sandia National Laboratories, SAND2012-0304, 1–64, https://doi.org/10.2172/1035336, 2012. a
Viterna, L. and Janetzke, D.: Theoretical and experimental power from large horizontal-axis wind turbines, NASA Technical Memorandum, https://doi.org/10.2172/6763041, 1982. a
Willmer, A. C.: Wind tunnel tests on a 3 m diameter Musgrove windmill, International Journal of Ambient Energy, 1, 21–27, https://doi.org/10.1080/01430750.1980.9675710, 1980. a, b
Short summary
This paper presents a systematic study of the effect of blade inclination angle, chord distribution, and blade length on vertical-axis wind turbine performance. It shows that, for rotors of identical power production, both blade volume and rotor torque can be significantly reduced through the use of aerodynamically optimised inclined rotor blades. This demonstrates the potential of vertical rotors to reduce the cost of energy for offshore wind when compared to horizontal rotors.
This paper presents a systematic study of the effect of blade inclination angle, chord...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint