Numerical Investigation of Aerodynamic Interactions of a Three-rotor Vertical-axis Wind Turbine Array: Effects of Symmetry, Spacing, and Tip Speed Ratio

This study presents a numerical investigation of the aerodynamic interactions and power performance of a three-rotor vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) array under various geometric and operational configurations. High-resolution simulations were conducted to examine the effects of the upstream turbine symmetry, downstream rotation direction, inter-turbine spacing, and tip speed ratio (TSR) coordination on the array efficiency. The results show that symmetrical upstream layouts enhance phase synchrony and system stability, while the rotational direction of the downstream turbine has a pronounced influence on the energy capture of the upstream rotors. The optimal configuration is achieved when the downstream turbine is placed ۳.۷D downstream and operated at a TSR of ۲.۲۵, with the upstream turbines set at a TSR of ۲.۰. Flow field analysis reveals that this arrangement mitigates wake interference and promotes constructive aerodynamic interactions. These findings provide valuable insight into the design and control of compact VAWT arrays and support the development of high-efficiency wind energy systems for distributed and space-constrained applications.

کلیدواژه ها:

Vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) ، Turbine array ، Tip speed ratio (TSR) ، Aerodynamic interaction ، Wake interference