Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 4401: High Fidelity 2-Way Dynamic Fluid-Structure-Interaction (FSI) Simulation of Wind Turbines Based on Arbitrary Hybrid Turbulence Model (AHTM)
Energies doi: 10.3390/en18164401
Authors:
Erkhan Sarsenov
Sagidolla Batay
Aigerim Baidullayeva
Yong Zhao
Dongming Wei
Eddie Yin Kwee Ng
This work presents a high-fidelity two-way coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) simulation framework for wind turbine blades, developed using the Arbitrary Hybrid Turbulence Modelling (AHTM) implemented through Very Large Eddy Simulation (VLES) in the DAFoam solver. By integrating VLES with the Toolkit for the Analysis of Composite Structures (TACS) structural solver via the OpenMDAO/MPhys framework, this work aims to accurately model the complex aeroelastic characteristics of wind turbines, specifically focusing on the NREL Phase VI wind turbine. The numerical model accounts for the effects of transient, turbulent, and unsteady aerodynamic loading, incorporating the impact of structural deflections. A comparison of the calculated results with experimental data demonstrates strong agreement in key performance metrics, including blade tip displacements, power output, and pressure distribution. This alignment confirms that the proposed model is effective at predicting wind turbine performance. One of the significant advantages of this study is the integration of advanced turbulence modeling with shell element structural analysis, enhancing the design and performance predictions of modern wind turbines. Although computationally intensive, this approach marks a significant advancement in accurately simulating the aeroelastic response of turbines, paving the way for optimized and more efficient wind energy systems.