Flow simulation over 2D

airfoil using OpenFOAM

Background
With the growing size and cost of modern wind turbines it
is important that the aerodynamic tools are improved in
accuracy and are capable of predicting well the time
dependent loads in yaw, wind shear and dynamic inflow. In
the IEA-MEXNext project, a large validation study was
carried out where different codes of increasing complexity
were compared with an extensive of experimental wind
tunnel results from the MEXICO (Model Experiments in
Controlled environment) model rotor.

PhD Candidate: Ye Zhang

Department: AWEP
Section: Wind Energy
Supervisor: Gerard van Bussel
Promoter: Hester Bijl
Start date: 7-9-2012
Funding: China Scholarship Council

The methodology and procedures for the project are described

below:
a. Verification and validation of flow simulation over 2D airfoil
used for wind turbine blades.
b. 3D blades for Mexico wind turbine blades, compared with
different turbulence models and transitional models.
c. Rotating wind turbine without tower and nacelle.
d. Set up full 3D rotating OpenFOAM code.
e. Validation calculation cases for the MEXICO rotor and
fine-tune the code further.

Project Objectives
The project is aim to develop a fully three dimensional CFD
code based on OpenFOAM to predict the unsteady
aerodynamic loads on wind turbine rotors, in conditions of
axial flow, yawed flow and dynamic inflow. Meanwhile, the
code will be developed such that CFD/FSI (Fluid Structure
Interaction) will be possible in a later stage.
After some verification and validation exercise, the code
will be used in MEXNext II project, where present MEXICO
experiment data are used for further validation.

2D airfoil flow simulation:

The flow over NACA 63618 airfoil which is used in wind

turbine blade is investigated using OpenFOAM, the steady
incompressible solver simpleFoam and k-Omega SST
turbulence model from Menter[3] are chosen for this
simulation. Pressure and velocity coupling for Navier-Stokes
equation is solved by SIMPLE algorithm. The convective
term is discrete with upwind scheme. Central scheme is
used to discrete diffusion term and gradient term with
second order.

Aerospace Engineering

Two types of grids are generated regarding of two cases

simulation: low Reynolds number and high Reynolds number
simulation. The previous case set y+ less than 1 in order to
simulate sub layer flow in boundary layer. The later one
used wall function for reducing computation time.

Mesh independency study

The result focus on at different angle of attack, the lift

coefficient and drag coefficient compared with
experimental data, which are defined as:

Cl

L
1
U 2 A
2

Cd

D
1
U 2 A
2

Lift coefficient comparison

MEXICO wind turbine rotor[1]

Research Methodology:

An open source computational software package,

OpenFOAM is used for the flow simulation over
wind turbine. Many solvers and models are
compiled in it and high-level syntax written by
C++ language, which means the code can easily
be modified further.

Sketch of computational domain

Drag coefficient comparison

The momentum equation:

U
UU U p
t

is represented by the code[2]:

solve
(
fvm:: ddt (rho, U)
+fvm:: div (phi, U)
- fvm:: laplacian (mu, U)
==
- fvc:: grad (p)
);

Mesh around airfoil surface

Boundary conditions:
Inlet : fixedValue
Outlet: Zerogradient
Airfoil : no slip wall

The lift coefficient agrees very well with experimental

results before a.o.a (angle of attach) 10 degree, but
deviation become larger with a.o.a increases. The flow
becomes separate and stall in that region.

The drag coefficient obtained in OpenFOAM is quite

higher than the experiment data, even at 0 a.o.a. That is
because for this kind of airfoil, the flow is mostly dominated
Result and discussion:
by laminar flow, but the k-omega SST turbulence model is
Mesh independency is studied by different nodes of mesh, assumed fully turbulent flow, which results in high drag.

and the result is listed as followed:

Further Work:
A .Do simulation with transitional model, and compared with
local flow pressure distribution with proper airfoil.
B. Try different turbulence model and do 3D simulation.

Reference
[1]-ECN: Aerodynamics Wind Turbines. Accessed April 2, 2013. http://www.ecn.nl/news/newsletter-en/2009/december-2009/aerodynamics-wind-turbines/.
[2]-Creating Solvers. Accessed April 2, 2013. http://www.openfoam.com/features/creating-solvers.php.
[3] Menter, F R. Two-equation Eddy-viscosity Turbulence Models for Engineering Applications. AIAA Journal 32, no. 8 (1994): 15981605. doi:10.2514/3.12149.