1

EFFECT OF VARIATION OF ECCENTRICITY

AND VELOCITY ON THE PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS OF SAVONIUS ROTOR

A.AKHILESH GUPTA
06-05-701
B.ARUN KUMAR
06-05-705
M.PRADEEP CHANDRA
06-05-723

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

VASAVI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
OSMANIA UNIVERSITY
HYDERABAD.

March 2008
 2
inner first page
cover

PROJECT REPORT ON
EFFECT OF VARIATION OF ECCENTRICITY
AND VELOCITY ON THE PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS OF SAVONIUS ROTOR

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

VASAVI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING :: HYDERABAD-31

Submitted by:
A.AKHILESH GUPTA 06-05-701
B.ARUN KUMAR 06-05-705
M.PRADEEP CHANDRA 06-05-723

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE

OF
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
IN
PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

OSMANIA UNIVERSITY
HYDERABAD.

March 2008
 3

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the thesis entitled “EFFECT OF

VARIATION OF ECCENTRICITY AND VELOCITY ON
THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF
SAVONIUS ROTOR” is a bonafide record of a project carried
out by

A.AKHILESH GUPTA - - - 06-05-701

B.ARUN KUMAR - - - 06-05-705
M.PRADEEP CHANDRA - - - 06-05-723

in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (Mechanical

/Industrial Production), Vasavi College of Engineering,
Hyderabad affiliated to Osmania University during July 2007 to
March 2008 in partial fulfillment for the award of Degree in
Bachelor of Production Engineering.

Mr. P Venkateshwar Rao Dr. A. Vishweshwara Rao

Project Guide Head
Associate Professor Mechanical Engg. Dept.
 4

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are obliged and indebted to our guide Mr.P.Venkateswara
Rao, Assistant Professor(Sr.), Department of Mechanical
Engineering, Vasavi College of Engineering, whose guidance has
sustained the effort, which led to successful completion of the
project. We are grateful to him for his precious guidance and
suggestions.
We are elated in expressing our sense of gratitude to
Mr.A.Vishweshwara Rao, HOD of Mechanical Engineering, Vasavi
College of Engineering, for his encouragement. Also, with deep
sense of gratitude we acknowledge the help and cooperation
rendered by Dr.J.V.Subrahmanyam, Professor and Dr.G.Venkata
Rao, Professor.
We are indebted to all those friends and well-wishers whose
cooperation was invaluable in making our project a success.
 5

ABSTRACT

Savonius rotor is a vertical axis wind turbine which is

simple in design, fabrication and maintenance, and is suitable for
small-scale rural application. Initially, the performance studies of
Savonius wind turbine rotors have been carried out with
conventional two bladed curved rotors. The present analysis deals
with the study of performance characteristics of the rotor and the
effect of variation of eccentricity and inlet velocity on its
performance. The flow is assumed to be Incompressible and Steady.
GAMBIT is used to build and mesh the two dimensional geometric
model for its application in Computational Fluid
Dynamics(CFD).The numerical scheme employs two equation
classical K- ε model.
 6

CONTENTS
PRELIMINARIES
Certificate
Acknowledgement
Abstract

1.0 PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

2.0 INTRODUCTION

2.1 Horizontal Axis wind Turbine

2.2 Vertical Axis wind Turbine

2.3 Savonius Rotor

2.3.1 Types of Savonius rotor turbine blades

3.0 NEED FOR CFD

4.0 INTRODUCTION TO GAMBIT AND FLUENT

4.1 GAMBIT introduction

4.2 FLUENT introduction

4.2.1 Program Structure

4.2.2 Program Solving Steps

4.3 Boundary Conditions

4.3.1 Flow Inlets and Exits

4.4 Modelling Turbulence

4.4.1 Choosing a Turbulence Model

4.5 Using the Solver

4.5.1 Overview of Numerical schemes

4.6 Initialising the Solution

4.7 Performing the Time Dependent calculations

 7

4.8 Monitoring Results

5.0 TURBULENCE MODELS

5.1 Assessment of Performance

5.2 Modeling turbulence in FLUENT

5.2.1 Choosing a Turbulence Model

5.2.2 The Standard, RNG, and realizable k-epsilon

Models

5.2.3 The Standard k-epsilon Model

6.0 GRID INDEPENDENCE STUDY

7.0 MODELING OF SAVONIUS ROTOR USING GAMBIT

8.0 ANALYSIS USING FLUENT

8.1 Model Analysis

9.0 RESULTS OF ANALYSIS

9.1 Effect of Eccentricity on Moment

9.2 Effect of Eccentricity on Maximum Pressure

9.3 Effect of Eccentricity on Velocity and Moment

9.4 Power vs. Inlet velocity

9.5 Amount of Overlap

10.0 CONCLUSIONS

11.0 FUTURE SCOPE OF WORK

12.0 REFERENCES
 8

CHAPTER 1
 9

PROBLEM
DESCRIPTION
 10

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

In the present study an attempt has been made to understand the characteristic
behaviour of various parameters like power, efficiency etc...of a Savonius rotor
when placed in air which is moving with a certain velocity using FLUENT. The
analysis is carried out on a two dimensional model of the rotor.
The first objective is to carry out the analysis of the rotor for various inlet
velocities and Blade angular speeds. The performance characteristics are studied for
each case.
The power and efficiency of the Savonius rotor depends on both positive and
negative wetted area. To increase power and improve efficiency of the rotor,
positive wetted area should be maximised and negative wetted area should be
minimised. Eccentricity is provided in order to achieve the above objective.

The second objective is to study the effect of eccentricity on various performance

characteristics of the rotor. The ideal eccentricity, at which the power and moment
are maximum, is to be determined.

Diameter of the rotor = D

Diameter of the Blade = d
x D Eccentricity = x

d
 11

The above study is carried on a S-Savonius Rotor having a diameter (D) of 80cm,
and the diameter (d) of each blade being 40cm. It is kept in a boundary region
having diameter 600cm.The eccentricities (x) are 0mm, 25mm, 50mm, 75mm,
100mm and 125mm respectively and the velocities being 2m/s, 4m/s, 6m/s, 8m/s,
10m/s.

Assumptions:
1. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible throughout the process.
2. The process is assumed as a steady state process.
3. The effects at the bases of the rotor is neglected as analysis is carried out for
a two dimensional model of the rotor.
 12

CHAPTER 2
INTRODUCTION
 13

INTRODUCTION
Energy is what makes the world go around. Without the continuous supply of
energy that most of us take for granted, things would quickly grind to a halt. We are
dependent on energy for our very survival. Heating our homes, transportation,
communication, health – even our daily food supply – all depends on energy.

It comes in different forms -- heat (thermal), light (radiant), mechanical, electrical,

chemical, and nuclear energy. Energy is in everything. All forms of energy are
stored in different ways, in the energy sources that we use every day. These
sources are divided into two groups -- renewable (an energy source that can be
replenished in a short period of time) and non-renewable (an energy source that we
are using up and cannot recreate in a short period of time). Renewable and non-
renewable energy sources can be used to produce secondary energy sources
including electricity and hydrogen.

Coal, petroleum, natural gas, propane, and uranium are non-renewable energy
sources. They are used to make electricity, to heat our homes, to move our cars, and
to manufacture all kinds of products. These energy sources are called non-
renewable because their supplies are limited.
 14

Renewable energy sources include biomass, geothermal energy, hydropower, solar

energy, and wind energy. They are called renewable energy sources because they
are replenished in a short time. Day after day, the sun shines, the wind blows, and
the rivers flow. We use renewable energy sources mainly to make electricity.

Wind Energy: -

Wind energy converts kinetic energy that is present in the wind into more useful
forms of energy such as mechanical energy or electricity. Wind energy is a
pollution-free, infinitely sustainable form of energy. It doesn’t use fuel; it doesn’t
produce greenhouse gasses, and it doesn’t produce toxic or radioactive waste.

Modern uses of wind energy include generation of electricity and pumping water.
Current wind energy machines are called "wind turbine generators", "wind pumps",
or more generally, "wind turbines".

Wind Turbine: -

The blades of the turbine are attached to a hub that is mounted on a turning shaft.
The shaft goes through a gear transmission box where the turning speed is
increased. The transmission is attached to a high speed shaft which turns a
generator that makes electricity. If the wind gets too high, the turbine has a brake
that will keep the blades from turning too fast and being damaged.

In order for a wind turbine to work efficiently, wind speeds usually must be above
12 to 14 miles per hour. Wind has to be this speed to turn the turbines fast enough
to generate electricity. The turbines usually produce about 50 to 300 kilowatts of
electricity each. Once electricity is made by the turbine, the electricity from the
entire wind farm is collected together and sent through a transformer. There the
voltage is increase to send it long distances over high power lines.
 15

Parts of a Wind Turbine

The simplest possible wind-energy turbine consists of three crucial parts:

• Rotor blades - The blades are basically the sails of the system; in their
simplest form, they act as barriers to the wind (more modern blade designs
go beyond the barrier method). When the wind forces the blades to move, it
has transferred some of its energy to the rotor.
• Shaft - The wind-turbine shaft is connected to the center of the rotor. When
the rotor spins, the shaft spins as well. In this way, the rotor transfers its
mechanical, rotational energy to the shaft, which enters an electrical
generator on the other end.

• Generator - At its most basic, a generator is a pretty simple device. It uses

the properties of electromagnetic induction to produce electrical voltage - a
difference in electrical charge. In electromagnetic induction, if you have a
conductor surrounded by magnets, and one of those parts is rotating relative
to the other, it induces voltage in the conductor. When the rotor spins the
 16

shaft, the shaft spins the assembly of magnets, generating voltage in the coil
of wire. That voltage drives electrical current (typically alternating current,
or AC power) out through power lines for distribution.

Wind turbines can be classified into two types based on their axis of rotation: -

1. Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

2. Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

2.1 Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

It is a wind turbine in which the axis of the rotor's rotation is parallel to the wind
stream and the ground. All grid-connected commercial wind turbines today are built
with a propeller-type rotor on a horizontal axis (i.e. a horizontal main shaft). Most
horizontal axis turbines built today are two- or three-bladed, although some have
fewer or more blades. The purpose of the rotor is to convert the linear motion of the
wind into rotational energy that can be used to drive a generator.
The wind passes over both surfaces of the airfoil shaped blade but passes more
rapidly over the longer (upper) side of the airfoil, thus creating a lower-pressure
area above the airfoil. The pressure differential between top and bottom surfaces
results in aerodynamic lift. Since the blades of a wind turbine are constrained to
move in a plane with the hub as its center, the lift force causes rotation about the
hub. In addition to the lift force, a drag force perpendicular to the lift force impedes
rotor rotation. A prime objective in wind turbine design is for the blade to have a
relatively high lift-to-drag ratio. This ratio can be varied along the length of the
blade to optimize the turbine’s energy output at various wind speeds.

HAWT Advantages:

1. Blades are to the side of the turbine's center of gravity, helping stability.
2. Ability to wing warp, which gives the turbine blades the best angle of attack.
Allowing the angle of attack to be remotely adjusted gives greater control, so the
 17

turbine collects the maximum amount of wind energy for the time of day and
season.
3. Ability to pitch the rotor blades in a storm, to minimize damage.
4. Tall tower allows access to stronger wind in sites with wind shear. In some wind
shear sites, every ten meters up, the wind speed can increase by 20% and the
power output by 34%.

HAWT Disadvantages:

1. HAWTs have difficulty operating in near ground, turbulent winds.

2. The tall towers and long blades up to 90 meters long are difficult to transport
on the sea and on land. Transportation can now cost 20% of equipment costs.
3. Tall HAWTs are difficult to install, needing very tall and expensive cranes
and skilled operators.
4. The FAA has raised concerns about tall HAWTs effects on radar near Air
Force bases.
5. Their height can create local opposition based on impacts to view sheds.
6. Downwind variants suffer from fatigue and structural failure caused by
turbulence.

2.2 Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

It is a type of wind turbine in which the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the wind
stream and the ground. VAWTs work somewhat like a classical water wheel in
which water arrives at a right angle (perpendicular) to the rotational axis (shaft) of
the water wheel.

Vertical-axis wind turbines fall into two major categories:

1. Darrieus turbines
 18

2. Savonius turbines

VAWT advantages

1. Easier to maintain because most of their moving parts are located near the
ground. This is due to the vertical wind turbine’s shape. The airfoils or rotor
blades are connected by arms to a shaft that sits on a bearing and drives a
generator.
2. As the rotor blades are vertical, a yaw device is not needed, reducing the need
for this bearing and its cost.

3. Vertical wind turbines have a higher airfoil pitch angle, giving improved
aerodynamics while decreasing drag at low and high pressures.
 19

4. Mesas, hilltops, ridgelines and passes can have higher and more powerful winds
near the ground than up high because of the speed up effect of winds moving up
a slope or funneling into a pass combining with the winds moving directly into
the site. In these places, VAWTs placed close to the ground can produce more
power than HAWTs placed higher up.
5. Low height useful where laws do not permit structures to be placed high.
6. Does not need a free standing tower so is much less expensive and stronger in
high winds that are close to the ground.
7. It turns regardless of the direction of the wind.
8. They can potentially be built to a far larger size than HAWT's , for instance
floating VAWT's hundreds of meters in diameter where the entire vessel rotates ,
can eliminate the need for a large and expensive bearing .
9. Newer carbon composite blades are lightweight and easier to install.

VAWT Disadvantages

1. Most VAWTs produce energy at only 50% of the efficiency of HAWTs in

large part because of the additional drag that they have as their blades rotate into
the wind. This can be overcome by using structures to funnel more and align the
wind into the rotor or the "vortex" effect of placing straight bladed VAWTs
closely together.

2. There may be a height limitation to how tall a vertical wind turbine can be
built and how much sweep area it can have. However, this can be overcome by
connecting a multiple number of turbines together in a triangular pattern with
bracing across the top of the structure. Thus reducing the need for such strong
vertical support, and allowing the turbine blades to be made much longer.

3. Most VAWTS need to be installed on a relatively flat piece of land and some
sites could be too steep for them but are still usable by HAWTs.
 20

4. Most VAWTs have low starting torque, and may require energy to start the
turning.

5. A VAWT that uses guy wires to hold it in place puts stress on the bottom
bearing as all the weight of the rotor is on the bearing. Guy wires attached to the
top bearing increase downward thrust in wind gusts. Solving this problem
requires a superstructure to hold a top bearing in place to eliminate the
downward thrusts of gust events in guy wired models.

6. While VAWTs' parts are located on the ground, they are also located under
the weight of the structure above it, which can make changing out parts near
impossible without dismantling the structure if not designed properly.

Darrieus Type Wind Turbine Blade

 21

2.3 SAVONIUS WIND TURBINE

Savonius Wind Turbines are a type of vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT), used
for converting the power of the wind into torque on a rotating shaft. They were
invented by the Finnish engineer Sigurd J Savonius in 1922. Savonius turbines are
one of the simplest turbines. It can develop a relatively high torque at low rotational
speeds and is cheap to build, but it harnesses only a small fraction of the wind
energy incident upon it. It is simple to assemble but requires a lot of material in its
construction

Aerodynamically, these are drag-type devices, consisting of two or three scoops.

Looking down on the rotor from above, a two-scoop machine would look like an
"S" shape in cross section. Because of the curvature, the scoops experience less
drag when moving against the wind than when moving with the wind. The
differential drag causes the Savonius turbine to spin. Because they are drag-type
devices, Savonius turbines extract much less of the wind's power than other
similarly-sized lift-type turbines. Much of the swept area of a Savonius rotor is near
the ground, making the overall energy extraction less effective due to lower wind
speed at lower heights.
 22

Savonius turbines are used whenever cost or reliability is much more important
than efficiency. For example, most anemometers are Savonius turbines, because
efficiency is completely irrelevant for that application. Much larger Savonius
turbines have been used to generate electric power on deep-water buoys, which
need small amounts of power and get very little maintenance. These turbines can
accept wind coming from any direction. Savonius and other vertical-axis machines
are not usually connected to electric power grids.

Savonius rotor has the low power output per given rotor size, weight and cost,
thereby making it less efficient; the coefficient of performance is of the order of 15
%, which can be improved by proper designing of blades.

2.3.1 Types of Savonius Rotor Turbine Blades

The blades can be mainly classified

into:-

1. Curved Blade
2. Straight Blade
3. Aerofoil Blade
4. Twisted blade
 23

Of all the types of blades, twisted is preferred. For example, when air flows on to
the straight blades the force acts almost equally on both the blades, thus decreasing
the net force. In a similar situation when curved blades are placed, the forces are
distributed unequally resulting in an increase in the net force, because of which the
rotational speeds of the blades increase. Twisted blades further increases the net
force depending on the profile of the blade.

Advantages

• Simple structure and simple assembly.

• High torque at relatively low number of revolutions.
• Independent of the wind direction, no wind adjustment necessary.
• Employment already with extremely low wind velocities off (2-3 m/s).
• Hardly perceptible

Disadvantages

• High percentages by volume material are required.

• These are mounted close to the ground where wind speed is low.
• They are inefficient
• Turbine needs a motor to start it moving
• Needs guy wires that are impractical in heavily farmed areas
• Replacing the main bearing requires taking the whole machine down.

2.3.2 Rules for construction of a Savonius rotor with two blades:-

a. The size of the end plates, to which are mounted the buckets, should
 24

be about 5% larger than the diameter of the rotor.

b. The central shaft should be mounted to the end plates only, and not
through the buckets.
c. The aspect ratio, height to diameter, 6 to 8 gives a better performance.
However, an aspect ratio of about 2 is desirable from the economic
point of view.
d. The use of augmentation devices such as concentrators or diffusers or
combination of the two result in increased power coefficient.

CHAPTER 3
NEED FOR CFD
 25

COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the science of predicting fluid flow, heat
transfer, mass transfer, chemical reactions, and related phenomena by solving
mathematical equations that represent physical laws, using a numerical process.
It provides a qualitative (and sometimes even quantitative) prediction of fluid flows
by means of
• Mathematical modelling (partial differential equations)
• Numerical methods (discretization and solution techniques)
• Software tools (solvers, pre- and post processing utilities)
CFD enables scientists and engineers to perform ‘numerical experiments’
(i.e. computer simulations) in a ‘virtual flow laboratory’

The Need for CFD

Applying the fundamental laws of mechanics to a fluid gives the governing
equations for a fluid. The conservation of mass equation is

and the conservation of momentum equation is

These equations along with the conservation of energy equation form a set of
coupled, nonlinear partial differential equations. It is not possible to solve these
equations analytically
 26

for most engineering problems. However, it is possible to obtain approximate

computer-based solutions to the governing equations for a variety of engineering
problems.

Applications
• Aerospace and Defence
• Automotive
• Biomedical, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical
• Electronics
• Fuel Cells
• Marine and Off shore
• Nuclear power
• Oil & Gas
• Mixing
• Pumps
• Turbo machinery etc...

CFD Modelling Overview

 27

CHAPTER 4
 28

INTRODUCTION
TO GAMBIT AND
FLUENT
 29

INTRODUCTION TO GAMBIT AND FLUENT

4.1 GAMBIT Introduction

GAMBIT is a software package designed to help analysts and designers build and
mesh models for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and other scientific
applications. GAMBIT receives user input by means of its graphical user interface
(GUI). The GAMBIT GUI makes the basic steps of building, meshing, and
assigning zone types to a model simple and intuitive, yet it is versatile enough to
accommodate a wide range of modeling applications.

4.2 FLUENT Introduction

FLUENT is a state-of-the-art computer program for modeling fluid flow and heat
transfer in complex geometries. FLUENT provides complete mesh flexibility,
solving our flow problems with unstructured meshes that can be generated about
complex geometries with relative ease. Supported mesh types include 2D
triangular/quadrilateral, 3D tetrahedral/hexahedral/pyramid/wedge, and mixed
(hybrid) meshes. FLUENT also allows us to refine or coarsen our grid based on the
flow solution.

This solution-adaptive grid capability is particularly useful for accurately predicting

flow fields in regions with large gradients, such as free shear layers and boundary
layers. Solution-adaptive refinement makes it easier to perform grid refinement
studies and reduces the computational effort required to achieve a desired level of
 30

accuracy, since mesh refinement is limited to those regions where greater mesh
resolution is needed.

FLUENT is written in the C computer language and makes full use of the
flexibility and power offered by the language. Consequently, true dynamic memory
allocation, efficient data structures, and flexible solver control are all made
possible. In addition, FLUENT uses a client/server architecture, which allows it to
run as separate simultaneous processes on client desktop workstations and powerful
compute servers, for efficient execution, interactive control, and complete
flexibility of machine or operating system type.

4.2.1 Program Structure

FLUENT package includes the following products:

• FLUENT, the solver.

• prePDF, the preprocessor for modeling non-premixed combustion in
FLUENT.
• GAMBIT, the preprocessor for geometry modeling and mesh generation.
• TGrid, an additional preprocessor that can generate volume meshes from
existing boundary meshes.
• Filters (translators) for import of surface and volume meshes from
CAD/CAE packages such as ANSYS, I-DEAS, NASTRAN, PATRAN, and
others.

The following Figure shows the organizational structure of these components. A

grid is created using various softwares like GAMBIT, TGRID. Once it is read into
FLUENT, all remaining operations are performed within the solver. These include
setting boundary conditions, defining fluid properties, executing the solution,
refining the grid, and viewing and post processing the results.
 31

GAMBIT Other CAD/CAE

Geometry
Packages
setup
2D/3D
mesh
generation

prePDF
Calculation
of PDF
look-up
tables

TGrid
2D triangular
FLUENT mesh
Mesh import and 3D tetrahedral
adaptation mesh
Physical models 2D or 3D
Boundary conditions
Material properties hybrid mesh
Calculation
Post processing

Fig 4.1 Basic program structure

4.2.2 Problem Solving Steps

Once we have determined the important features of the problem we want to solve,
we will follow the basic procedural steps shown below.

1. Create the model geometry and grid.

2. Start the appropriate solver for 2D or 3D modeling.
3. Import the grid.
4. Check the grid.
5. Select the solver formulation.
 32

6. Choose the basic equations to be solved: laminar or turbulent (or inviscid),

chemical species or reaction, heat transfer models, etc. Identify additional models
needed: fans, heat exchangers, porous media, etc.
7. Specify.material properties.
8. Specify the boundary conditions.
9. Adjust the solution control parameters.
10. Initialize the flow field.
11. Calculate a solution.
12. Examine the results.
13. Save the results.
14. If necessary, refine the grid or consider revisions to the numerical or physical
model.

Step 1 of the solution process requires a geometry modeler and grid generator. We
can use GAMBIT or a separate CAD system for geometry modeling and grid
generation. We can also use TGrid to generate volume grids from surface grids
imported from GAMBIT or a CAD package. Alternatively, we can use supported
CAD packages to generate volume grids for import into TGrid or into FLUENT.

In Step 2, we will start the 2D or 3D solver. The menu we need to use for each
solution step is shown in Table 3.1.

Solution Step Menu

3. Import the grid. File menu
4. Check the grid. Grid menu
5. Select the solver Define menu
formulation.
6. Choose basic equations. Define menu
7. Material properties. Define menu
8. Boundary conditions. Define menu
 33

9. Adjust solution controls. Solve menu

10. Initialize the flow field. Solve menu
11. Calculate a solution. Solve menu
12. Examine the results. Display menu
Plot menu
Report menu
13. Save the results. File menu
14. Adapt the grid. Adapt menu

Table 4.1 Overview of the FLUENT Menus

4.3 Boundary Conditions

This section describes the boundary condition options available in FLUENT.
Details regarding the boundary condition inputs we must supply and the internal
treatment at boundaries are provided.

4.3.1Flow Inlets and Exits

FLUENT has a wide range of boundary conditions that permit flow to enter and
exit the solution domain. To help us select the most appropriate boundary condition
for our application, this section includes descriptions of how each type of condition
is used, and what information is needed for each one. Recommendations for
determining inlet values of the turbulence parameters are also provided.

FLUENT provides 10 types of boundary zone types for the specification of flow
inlets and exits: velocity inlet, pressure inlet, mass flow inlet, pressure outlet,
pressure far-field, outflow, inlet vent, intake fan, outlet vent, and exhaust fan.
 34

The inlet and exit boundary condition options used for present problem in
FLUENT are as follows:

a) "Velocity Inlet" Boundary Conditions

Velocity inlet boundary conditions are used to define the flow velocity, along with
all relevant scalar properties of the flow, at flow inlets. The total (or stagnation)
properties of the flow are not fixed, so they will rise to whatever value is necessary
to provide the prescribed velocity distribution.

This boundary condition is intended for incompressible flows, and its use in
compressible flows will lead to a nonphysical result because it allows stagnation
conditions to float to any level. We should also be careful not to place a velocity
inlet too close to a solid obstruction, since this could cause the inflow stagnation
properties to become highly non-uniform.

In special instances, a velocity inlet may be used in FLUENT to define the flow
velocity at flow exits. (The scalar inputs are not used in such cases.) In such cases
we must ensure that overall continuity is maintained in the domain.

(b) "Wall" Boundary Conditions

Wall boundary conditions are used to bound fluid and solid regions. In viscous
flows, the no-slip boundary condition is enforced at walls by default, but we can
specify a tangential velocity component in terms of the translational or rotational
motion of the wall boundary, or model a "slip" wall by specifying shear. (We can
also model a slip wall with zero shear using the symmetry boundary type, but using
a symmetry boundary will apply symmetry conditions for all equations.)

The shear stress and heat transfer between the fluid and wall are computed based on
the flow details in the local flow field.

We will enter the following information for a wall boundary:

 35

• Thermal boundary conditions (for heat transfer calculations)

• Wall motion conditions (for moving or rotating walls)
• Shear conditions (for slip walls, optional)
• Wall roughness (for turbulent flows, optional)
• Species boundary conditions (for species calculations)
• Chemical reaction boundary conditions (for surface reactions)
• Radiation boundary conditions (for calculations using the P-l model, the
DTRM, the DO model, or the surface-to-surface model)
• Discrete phase boundary conditions (for discrete phase calculations)
• Multiphase boundary conditions (for VOF calculations, optional)

The default thermal boundary condition is a fixed heat flux of zero. Walls are, by
default, not moving.

4.4 Modeling turbulence

Turbulent flows are characterized by fluctuating velocity fields. These fluctuations
mix transported quantities such as momentum, energy, and species concentration,
and cause the transported quantities to fluctuate as well. Since these fluctuations
can be of small scale and high frequency, they are too computationally expensive to
simulate directly in practical engineering calculations. Instead, the instantaneous
(exact) governing equations can be time-averaged, ensemble-averaged, or otherwise
manipulated to remove the small scales, resulting in a modified set of equations that
are computationally less expensive to solve. However, the modified equations
contain additional unknown variables, and turbulence models are needed to
determine these variables in terms of known quantities.

FLUENT provides the following choices of turbulence models:

• Spalart-Allmaras model
• k- ε models
• Standard k- ε model
 36

• Renormalization-group (RNG) k- ε model

• Realizable k- ε model
• k- w models
• Standard k- w model
• Shear-stress transport (SST) k- w model
• Reynolds stress model (RSM)

• Large eddy simulation (LES) model

4.4.1 Choosing a Turbulence Model

It is an unfortunate fact that no single turbulence model is universally accepted as

being superior for all classes of problems. The choice of turbulence model will
depend on considerations such as the physics encompassed in the flow, the
established practice for a specific class of problem, the level of accuracy required,
the available computational resources, and the amount of time available for the
simulation. To make the most appropriate choice of model for our application, we
need to understand the capabilities and limitations of the various options.

4.5 Using the Solver

4.5.1Overview of Numerical Schemes
FLUENT allows us to choose either of two numerical methods:
• segregated solver

• coupled solver
Using either method, FLUENT will solve the governing integral equations for the
conservation of mass and momentum, and (when appropriate) for energy and other
scalars such as turbulence and chemical species. In both cases a control-volume-
based technique is used that consists of:

• Division of the domain into discrete control volumes using a computational

grid.
 37

• Integration of the governing equations on the individual control volumes to

construct algebraic equations for the discrete dependent variables ("unknowns")
such as velocities, pressure, temperature, and conserved scalars.
• Linearization of the discretized equations and solution of the resultant linear
equation system to yield updated values of the dependent variables.

The two numerical methods employ a similar discretization process (finite-volume),

but the approach used to linearize and solve the discretized equations is different.

(a) Segregated Solution Method

The segregated solver is the solution algorithm previously used by FLUENT.

Using this approach, the governing equations are solved sequentially (i.e.,
segregated from one another). Because the governing equations are non-linear (and
coupled), several iterations of the solution loop must be performed before a
converged solution is obtained. Each iteration consists of the steps illustrated in
Figure 3.3 and outlined below:

1. Fluid properties are updated, based on the current solution. (If the calculation
has just begun, the fluid properties will be updated based on the initialized
solution.)
2. The u, v, and w momentum equations are each solved in turn using current
values for pressure and face mass fluxes, in order to update the velocity field.
3. Since the velocities obtained in Step 2 may not satisfy the continuity
equation locally, a "Poisson-type" equation for the pressure correction is
derived from the continuity equation and the linearized momentum
equations. This pressure correction equation is then solved to obtain the
necessary corrections to the pressure and velocity fields and the face mass
fluxes such that continuity is satisfied.
 38

4. Where appropriate, equations for scalars such as turbulence, energy, species,

and radiation are solved using the previously updated values of the other
variables.
5. When interphase coupling is to be included, the source terms in the
appropriate continuous phase equations may be updated with a discrete
phase trajectory calculation.
6. A check for convergence of the equation set is made.

These steps are continued until the convergence criteria are met.

(b) Linearization: Implicit vs. Explicit

In both the segregated and coupled solution methods the discrete, non-linear
governing equations are linearized to produce a system of equations for the
dependent variables in every computational cell. The resultant linear system is then
solved to yield an updated flow-field solution.

The manner in which the governing equations are linearized may take an "implicit"
or "explicit" form with respect to the dependent variable (or set of variables) of
interest. By implicit or explicit we mean the following: -

• Implicit: For a given variable, the unknown value in each cell is computed using
a relation that includes both existing and unknown values from neighboring cells.
Therefore each unknown will appear in more than one equation in the system, and
these equations must be solved simultaneously to give the unknown quantities.
• Explicit: For a given variable, the unknown value in each cell is computed using
a relation that includes only existing values. Therefore each unknown will appear in
only one equation in the system and the equations for the unknown value in each
cell can be solved one at a time to give the unknown quantities.

The segregated approach solves for a single variable field (e.g., p) by considering
all cells at the same time. It then solves for the next variable field by again
 39

considering all cells at the same time, and so on. There is no explicit option for the
segregated solver.

In the coupled solution method we have a choice of using either an implicit or

explicit linearization of the governing equations. This choice applies only to the
coupled set of governing equations. Governing equations for additional scalars that
are solved segregated from the coupled set, such as for turbulence, radiation, etc.,
are linearized and solved implicitly using the same procedures as in the segregated
solution method. Regardless of whether we choose the implicit or explicit scheme,
the solution procedure shown in Figure 3.3 is followed.

Update Properties

Solve Momentum
Equations

Solve Pressure-correction (continuity) equation.

Update pressure, face mass flow rate.

Solve energy, species,

turbulence, and other scalar
equations

Converged? Stop

Fig 4.3 Overview of the segregated solution method

If we choose the implicit option of the coupled solver, each equation in the coupled
set of governing equations is linearized implicitly with respect to all dependent
 40

variables in the set. This will result in a system of linear equations with N equations
for each cell in the domain, where N is the number of coupled equations in the set.
Because there are N equations per cell, this is sometimes called a "block" system of
equations. A point implicit (block Gauss-Seidel) linear equation solver is used in
conjunction with an algebraic multigrid (AMG) method to solve the resultant block
system of equations for all N dependent variables in each cell. For example,
linearization of the coupled continuity, x-, y-, z-momentum, and energy equation set
will produce a system of equations in which p, u, v, w, and T are the unknowns.

(c) Overview of How to Use the Solver

Once we have defined our model and specified which solver we want to use we are
ready to run the solver. The following steps outline a general procedure we can
follow:

1. Choose the discretization scheme and, for the segregated solver, the pressure
interpolation scheme.
2. (segregated solver only) Select the pressure-velocity coupling method.
3. Set the under-relaxation factors.
4. (coupled explicit solver only) Turn on FAS multigrid
5. Make any additional modifications to the solver settings that are suggested in
the chapters or sections that describe the models we are using.
6. Initialize the solution.
7. Enable the appropriate solution monitors.
8. Start calculating.
9. Monitor convergence.

The default settings for the first three items listed above are suitable for most
problems and need not be changed. The following sections outline how these and
other solution parameters can be changed, and when we may wish to change them.
 41

4.6 Initializing the Solution

Before starting our CFD simulation, we must provide FLUENT with an initial
"guess" for the solution flow field. In many cases, we must take extra care to
provide an initial solution that will allow the desired final solution to be attained. A
real-life supersonic wind tunnel, for example, will not "start" if the back pressure is
simply lowered to its operating value; the flow will choke at the tunnel throat and
will not transition to supersonic. The same holds true for a numerical simulation:
the flow must be initialized to a supersonic flow or it will simply choke and remain
subsonic.

There are two methods for initializing the solution:

• Initialize the entire flow field (in all cells).

• Patch values or functions for selected flow variables in selected cell zones or
"registers" of cells. (Registers are created with the same functions that are used to
mark cells for adaption.)

Before patching initial values in selected cells, we must first initialize the entire
flow field. We can then patch the new values over the initialized values for selected
variables.

4.7 Performing Time-Dependent Calculations

FLUENT can solve the conservation equations in time-dependent form, to simulate
a wide variety of time-dependent phenomena, such as

• vortex shedding and other time-periodic phenomena

• compressible filling and emptying problems
 42

• transient heat conduction

• transient chemical mixing and reactions

4.8 Monitoring Residuals

At the end of each solver iteration, the residual sum for each of the conserved
variables is computed and stored, thus recording the convergence history. This
history is also saved in the data file. The residual sum is defined below.

On a computer with infinite precision, these residuals will go to zero as the solution
converges. On an actual computer, the residuals decay to some small value ("round-
off') and then stop changing ("level out"). For "single precision" computations (the
default for workstations and most computers), residuals can drop as many as six
orders of magnitude before hitting round-off Double precision residuals can drop up
to twelve orders of magnitude.
 43

CHAPTER 5
TURBULENCE
MODELS
 44

TURBULENCE MODELS
A turbulence model is a computational procedure to close the system of mean flow
equations so that a more or less variety of flow problems can be calculated. For
most engineering purposes it is unnecessary to resolve the details of the turbulent
fluctuations. Only the effects of the turbulence on the mean flow are usually sought
in particular. We always need expressions for the Reynolds stresses in equations
and the turbulent scalar transport terms in equation. For turbulence model to be
useful in a general purpose CFD code it must have wide applicability, be accurate,
simple and economical to run. The most common turbulence models are classified
in the following table.

TABLE 5.1 Common Turbulence Models

Classical models Based on (time averaged) Reynolds equations
1 .zero equation model - mixing length model
2.two-equation model- k- ε model
3.Reynolds stress equation model
4.algebraic stress model
Large eddy simulation Based on space-filtered equations

The classical models use the Reynolds equations and form the basis of turbulence
calculations in currently available commercial CFD codes.
Of the classical models the mixing length and k- ε models are presently by far the
most widely used and validated. They are based on the presumption that there exists
an analogy between the action of the viscous stresses and the Reynolds stresses on
the mean flow. Both stresses appear on the right hand side of the momentum
equation and in Newton's law of viscosity the viscous stresses are taken to be
proportional to the rate of deformation of fluid elements.
 45

5.1 Assessment of performance

The k- ε model is the most widely used and validated turbulence model. It has
achieved a notable success in calculating a wide variety of thin shear layer and
recirculating flows without the need for case-by case adjustment of the model
constants. The model performs particularly well in confined flows where the
Reynolds shear stresses are most important. This includes a wide range of flows
with industrial engineering applications, which explains its popularity. Versions of
the model are available which incorporate effects due to buoyancy. Such models are
used to study environmental flows such as pollutant dispersion in the atmosphere
and in lakes and the modeling of fires.
The model also has problems in swirling flows and flows with large, rapid, extra
strains (e.g. highly curved boundary layers and diverging passages) since it does not
contain a description of the subtle effects of streamline curvature on turbulence.
Secondary flows in long non-circular ducts, which are driven by anisotropic normal
Reynolds stresses, can also not be predicted owing to the efficiencies of the
treatment of normal stresses within the k- ε model. Finally, the model is oblivious to
body forces due to rotation of the frame of reference.
A summary of the performance assessment for the standard k- ε model is given
below.

Advantages
• Simplest turbulence model for which only initial and/or boundary conditions
need to be supplied.
• Excellent performance for many industrially relevant flows.

• Well established; the most widely validated turbulence model.

Disadvantages
• More expensive to implement than mixing length model (two extra PDEs)
• Poor performance in a variety of important cases such as
(i) Some unconfined flows.
 46

(ii) Flows with large extra strains (e.g. curved boundary layers, swirling flows).
(iii) Rotating flows.
(iv) Fully developed flows in non-circular ducts.

5.2 Modeling turbulence in FLUENT

Turbulent flows are characterized by fluctuating velocity fields. These fluctuations

mix transported quantities such as momentum, energy, and species concentration,
and cause the transported quantities to fluctuate as well. Since these fluctuations
can be of small scale and high frequency, they are too computationally expensive to
simulate directly in practical engineering calculations. Instead, the instantaneous
(exact) governing equations can be time-averaged, ensemble-averaged, or otherwise
manipulated to remove the small scales, resulting in a modified set of equations that
are computationally less expensive to solve. However, the modified equations
contain additional unknown variables, and turbulence models are needed to
determine these variables in terms of known quantities.
FLUENT provides the following choices of turbulence models:

• Spalart-Allmaras model
• k- ε models
• Standard k- ε model
• Renormalization-group (RNG) k- ε model
• Realizable k- ε model
• k- w models
• Standard k- w model
• Shear-stress transport (SST) k- w model
• Reynolds stress model (RSM)
• Large eddy simulation (LES) model
 47

5.2.1 Choosing a Turbulence Model

It is an unfortunate fact that no single turbulence model is universally accepted as

being superior for all classes of problems. The choice of turbulence model will
depend on considerations such as the physics encompassed in the flow, the
established practice for a specific class of problem, the level of accuracy required,
the available computational resources, and the amount of time available for the
simulation. To make the most appropriate choice of model for our application, we
need to understand the capabilities and limitations of the various options.

5.2.2 The Standard, RNG, and Realizable k- ε Models

All three models have similar forms, with transport equations for k and ε . The
major differences in the models are as follows:

• the method of calculating turbulent viscosity

• the turbulent Prandtl numbers governing the turbulent diffusion of k and ε
• the generation and destruction terms in the ε - equation

The transport equations, methods of calculating turbulent viscosity, and model

constants are separate for each model. The features that are essentially common to
all models follow, including turbulent production, generation due to buoyancy,
accounting for the effects of compressibility, and modeling heat and mass transfer.

5.2.3 The Standard k- ε Model

The simplest "complete models" of turbulence are two-equation models in which

the solution of two separate transport equations allows the turbulent velocity and
length scales to be independently determined. The standard k- ε model in FLUENT
falls within this class of turbulence model and has become the workhorse of
 48

practical engineering flow calculations in the time since it was proposed by Launder
and Spalding. Robustness, economy, and reasonable accuracy for a wide range of
turbulent flows explain its popularity in industrial flow and heat transfer
simulations. It is a semi-empirical model, and the derivation of the model equations
relies on phenomenological considerations and empiricism.

As the strengths and weaknesses of the standard k- ε model have become known,
improvements have been made to the model to improve its performance. Two of
these variants are available in FLUENT: the RNG k- ε model and the realizable k-
ε model.

The standard k- ε model is a semi-empirical model based on model transport

equations for the turbulence kinetic energy (k ) and its dissipation rate (ε). The
model transport equation for k is derived from the exact equation, while the model
transport equation for ε was obtained using physical reasoning and bears little
resemblance to its mathematically exact counterpart.

In the derivation of the k- ε model, it was assumed that the flow is fully turbulent,
and the effects of molecular viscosity are negligible. The standard k- ε model is
therefore valid only for fully turbulent flows.
 49

CHAPTER 6
GRID
INDEPENDENCE
STUDY
 50

GRID INDEPENDENCE STUDY

Numerical solutions of fluid flow and heat transfer problems are only
approximate solutions. In addition to the errors that might be in the course of
development of the solution algorithm, in programming or setting up boundary
conditions, numerical solutions always include discretization errors, defined as the
difference between the exact solution of the conservation equations and the exact
solution of the algebraic system equations obtained by discretising the governing
equations.
Discretisation approximations of governing equations introduce errors,
which decrease as the grid is refined, and that the order of the approximation is a
measure of accuracy. The only way to eliminate errors due to the coarseness of a
grid is to perform grid independence study, which is a procedure of successive
refinement of initially coarse grid certain key results do not change. Then the
simulation is grid independent. A systematic search for grid independent results
forms an essential part of all high quality CFD studies.
Grid Analysis: -
The model is designed in GAMBIT and with this same model different meshes are
created by varying the Interval size of the element. Both interior and exterior faces
are meshed with same type of element in all cases. All the meshes are used to solve
the same case and the maximum pressure is plotted and the mesh with less than 2%
error is selected.
Mesh no. Interior mesh Exterior mesh
1 3 3
2 2.5 2.5
3 2 2
4 1 1.5
5 1 1
 51

Case: Inlet Velocity = 2m/s

Blade Angular Velocity = 5 rad/s
Eccentricity = 0mm

The plot of Maximum velocity and mesh is shown below. The mesh with
interval size of 1 shows the satisfactory results.

Hence the mesh with Interval size of 1 is chosen and analysis of all other
cases is done with this mesh.
 52

CHAPTER 7

MODELING OF
SAVONIUS
ROTOR USING
GAMBIT
 53

MODELING OF SAVONIUS ROTOR USING GAMBIT

Dimensions:
Diameter of single blade = 40 cm
Diameter of complete blade = 80 cm
Diameter of boundary = 600 cm
Thickness of blade = 2cm
Eccentricities = 0 mm, 25mm, 50mm, 75 mm, 125mm
Designing of Blade :
• GAMBIT is opened and the solver is selected as FLUENT5/6.
• The vertices are created according to the required geometry.
• Vertices for the geometry with 0mm Eccentricity.
Blade : (0,1,0), (0,-1,0), (0,39, 0), (0,37,0), (0,-37,0), (0,-39,0), (20,-19,0),
(18,-19,0), (-20,18,0), (-20,19,0), (-18,19,0), (20,-19,0), (18,-19,0)
Boundary: (0, 300, 0), (0,-300, 0), (300, 0, 0), (-300, 0, 0)
 54

• Arcs are created using three vertices method. All the edges are created and
from these wireframes faces are created. The boundary face is split into two
faces with help of interior face. The blade faces are subtracted from the
interior face. The edges of the blade are grouped together as ‘Blade’.
 55

• Meshing of the model is done in two steps. The interior face is meshed with
‘Quad’ element with ‘Pave’ type meshing with interval size of 1. The Outer
boundary face is meshed with ‘Quad’ element with ‘Map’ type meshing with
interval size of 1.

• The boundary types are specified by selecting the

edges and assigning proper boundary conditions
to them as specified below.

a. Inlet : velocity inlet

b. Outlet : Pressure Outlet
c. Blade : Wall
d. Interior : Interior

• Continuum is specified as two different fluids for

interior face and boundary face.
• Finally the mesh file is exported for the analysis
to FLUENT.
56
 57

CHAPTER 8
ANALYSIS
USING FLUENT
 58

ANALYSIS USING FLUENT

• FLUENT is initialised in 2D mode.

• The mesh file generated in GAMBIT is imported and the Grid is checked for
any faults. As the model is created in cm in GAMBIT, it is scaled into
Metres (m) in FLUENT.

• K-epsilon model is selected as the Turbulence model.

 59

• A segregated 2D implicit model is used and fluid is selected as air in

Materials option.

• Enter the boundary conditions as follows:

a. Blade (wall): - Select Momentum> Motion>Absolute>Rotations>rad/s
b. Inlet (velocity inlet): - Velocity specification method >
components>reference frame >m/s>Turbulence Specification
method>Intensity and hydraulic Diameter>Turbulence
Intensity>2%>Hydraulic Diameter >6m.
c. Outlet (Pressure Outlet): Enter the same conditions as Inlet.

d. F1 (fluid 1): Select the reference frame as Stationary.

e. F2 (fluid 2): Select the reference frame as Stationary.

• In Solve option
Control> Solutions is
selected. Pressure is set
as Standard and
 60

momentum, turbulence kinetic energy and turbulence dissipation rate are set
as First order Upwind

• The analysis is initialised by

computing the values from Inlet
boundary condition.

• After initialising the solution, iterations are performed. The iterations stop,
after the solution gets converged.

• The values of Moment, Max Pressure, Min Pressure, and Max Velocity are
noted down using the reports option. The pressure and velocity contours are
plotted using the Display>Contours option.

•
•
•
•
•
• After completing the analysis, the
case and data files are saved for future reference.

The similar analysis is carried out for various values of velocity, and eccentricity
and the results are compared.
Inlet Velocities: 2m/s, 4m/s, 6m/s, 8m/s, 10m/s.
 61

Blade Velocities: 5rad/s, 10rad/s, 15rad/s.

Eccentricities: 0mm, 25mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm,125mm.as

8.1 MODEL ANALYSIS:

Eccentricity = 0
Velocity = 6m/s
Rotation of Blade = 5rad/s
The various graphs and values considered are:
1. Scaled Residuals Graph
 62

2. Contours of Static Pressure

• Display>Contours>Pressure

Max Pressure= 41.84454 Min Pressure= -41.2549

3. Contours of Velocity

• Display>Contours>Velocity

Max Velocity= 8.732244

 63

4. Moment
Click on Report>Forces>Moment. Enter the moment centre as (0, 0, 0)
Moment = 0.80094216 N-m.
Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment
(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 4.6516 -4.5 2.9091 0.0789
4 18.6292 -18.793 5.8109 0.3315
6 41.8445 -41.2549 8.7322 0.8009
8 74.4957 -75.4191 11.6268 1.3869
10 116.3498 -118.3248 14.5229 2.1756
5. Path Lines
Click on Display>Path lines. Select step size as 0.01 and steps as 500.To view the
animation click on pulse, and to vies the picture, click on display.

The Analysis Results for some of the Eccentricities are tabulated below:
Eccentricity = 0mm
Blade Angular velocity = 5 rad/s

Blade Angular velocity = 10 rad/s

Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment

(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
 64

2 4.6539 -4.4085 3.899 0.0592

4 18.6473 -18.5913 5.8116 0.3095
6 41.8838 -42.5078 8.7072 0.7316
8
Inlet Velocity 74.3906
Max. Pressure -73.5572
Min. Pressure 11.6377
Max. Velocity 1.3927
Moment
10 116.2987 -116.7277 14.5362 2.1626
(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 4.0720 -5.0483 2.7435 0.1816
4 16.3069 -19.5312 5.5631 0.7516
6 36.7110 -43.4348 8.3846 1.7063
8 65.2634 -76.3561 11.1945 3.0218
10 101.9869 -118.9745 14.0185 4.7431

Blade Angular velocity =15 rad/s

Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment
(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 4.5760 -4.3772 5.8189 0.0286
4 18.5448 -18.4780 5.8486 0.2798
6 41.8910 -14.6036 8.7147 0.7149
8 74.3663 -73.4997 11.6256 1.3485
10 116.2971 -116.9571 14.5297 2.1007

Eccentricity = 75mm
Blade Angular velocity = 5 rad/s

Blade Angular velocity = 10 rad/s

Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment
(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 4.0636 -5.4251 3.4241 0.1713
4 16.3117 -20.1065 5.5132 0.7401
6 36.6902 -44.3777 8.3408 1.6976
8 65.2097 -77.4626 11.1536 3.0160
10 101.9585 -120.1753 13.9718 4.6943

Blade Angular velocity =15 rad/s

Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment

(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 4.0606 -5.9565 5.1361 0.1575
4 16.2815 -20.6387 5.4775 0.7157
6 36.6976 -44.9871 8.2929 1.6697
 65

8 65.2237 -78.6435 11.1383 3.0224

10 101.8911 -121.7698 13.9335 4.7064

Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment

(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 3.9821 -4.9715 2.7705 0.1753
4 15.9281 -19.1728 5.6045 0.7192
6 35.8472 -42.3373 8.4324 1.6221
8 63.7321 -75.0802 11.2764 2.9132
10 99.6906 -116.2045 14.1012 4.5526

Eccentricity = 125mm
Blade Angular velocity = 5 rad/s

Blade Angular velocity = 10 rad/s

Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment
(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 3.9736 -5.1695 3.1741 0.1586
4 15.8996 -19.6532 5.5603 0.7014
6 35.8490 -43.2105 8.3981 1.6093
8 63.6976 -75.6925 11.2139 2.8635
10 99.6328 -117.8043 14.0731 4.5292

Blade Angular velocity =15 rad/s

Inlet Velocity Max. Pressure Min. Pressure Max. Velocity Moment
(m/s) (Pa) (Pa) (m/s) (N-m)
2 3.9717 -5.8094 4.7612 0.1522
4 15.9368 -20.3092 5.5197 0.6949
6 35.8552 -44.0881 8.3638 1.5975
8 63.7003 -77.0374 11.2059 2.8678
10 99.5796 -119.2042 14.0372 4.5020
 66

CHAPTER 9

RESULTS OF
ANALYSIS
 67

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS

9.1 Effect of Eccentricity on Moment

The graphs for Eccentricity vs. Moment for various velocities:

68
 69

It is observed from the graphs that for velocities in the range 2m/s to 6 m/s,
Eccentricity 75mm gives Maximum Moment, and for velocities in the range 8m/s to
10 m/s Eccentricity 100mm gives Maximum Moment.
So, if the velocity of air is in the range 2m/s to 6m/s, then it’s better to go for rotor
with eccentricity 75mm, otherwise eccentricity of 100mm can be used.
 70

9.2 Effect of Eccentricity on Maximum Pressure

For a rotational speed of 10rad/s, the graphs are plotted for different inlet
velocities between Maximum Pressure and Eccentricity.

It is clearly evident from the data that as eccentricity increases, Maximum

Pressure decreases for a given inlet velocity and rotation of 10rad/s to the blade.
Similar is the case with other inlet velocities, eccentricities and rotational speeds of
blades.
 71

9.3 Effect of Eccentricity on Velocity and Moment

Following is the graph between Velocity and Moment for eccentricities of 0mm,
75mm, 125mm and rotational speed of blade as 10rad/s.

It is observed that Moment obtained for Eccentricity of 75mm is more than that of
Eccentricity 0mm and Eccentricity 125mm.
 72

9.4 Power vs. Inlet velocity:

The following graph is for blade with eccentricity 75mm.

It observed that as inlet velocity increases Power increases. The behaviour is the
same for all the other cases.

9.5 Amount of Overlap :

Percentage overlap = x/(D-x)*100 x=eccentricity in cm

D=Diameter of Rotor without
For 75 mm eccentricity: Eccentricity in cm =80 cm
x=7.5 cm
Percentage overlap = 7.5/(80-7.5)*100
= 10.34%
For 100 mm eccentricity:
x=10 cm
Percentage overlap = 10/(80-10)*100
= 14.28%
 73

CHAPTER 10

CONCLUSIONS
 74

CONCLUSIONS
In the present work, the effect of eccentricities on the moment is analysed for
various inlet air velocities and rotational speed of blades. It is observed that as the
inlet velocity is increased the moment obtained increases for a particular rotational
speed, given to the blade. Pressure and velocity also follow a similar of pattern.

It is also observed that for a particular inlet velocity and Rotational speed, when
eccentricity is varied, moment increases up to a certain eccentricity and then again
starts decreasing. The eccentricity for which the moment is maximum is ideal for
that inlet velocity. For a particular eccentricity and inlet velocity, if we compare the
velocity obtained and Moment obtained for different rotational speeds of the blade,
it is evident that as the angular velocity increases the moment decreases. From the
results of analysis it is observed for the velocities up to 6m/s 75mm is the ideal
eccentricity and for higher velocities 100mm is the ideal eccentricity.
The suggested amount of overlap is :
For velocities 0-6 m/s = 10.34 %
For velocities >6 m/s = 14.28 %

It is observed that as the eccentricity of the rotor is increased, the reverse flow of
the air near the blade decreases and the maximum pressure (near the stagnation
point) also reduces. This in turn increases the power of the rotor as the pressure at
the stagnation point is acting against the net positive generated moment. With
change in eccentricity, the change in maximum velocity is negligible. But with
increase in eccentricity the distribution of flow is more uniform throughout the
region.
 75

CHAPTER 11

FUTURE SCOPE
OF WORK
 76

FUTURE SCOPE OF WORK

 The performance of the rotor can be improved by changing the geometrical

shape of the blade, like using twisted blades, aerofoil blades etc...Its
performance can also be improved by using multi stage Savonius rotor.

 Analysis of a 3D model can give more accurate results as the end effects at the
bases are taken into account.

 Effect of operating temperatures on the performance of Savonius rotor can be

studied for better analysis, so as to understand the variation of characteristics of
rotor at different geographical places.

 Dynamic study of the flow will give a better picture which can be done with the
help of Dynamic mesh analysis in FLUENT.
 77

CHAPTER 12

REFERENCES
 78

REFERENCES

1. EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF A SAVONIUS- DARRIEUS WIND

MACHINE by R. Gupta, R. Das & K.K. Sharma, Department of Mechanical

Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Silchar, Assam India

2. FLUENT Help Document

3. DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF SAVONIUS

WIND TURBINE ROTOR WITH TWISTED BLADES by A. S.
Grinspan, P. Suresh Kumar, U. K. Saha, P. Mahanta, D. V. Ratna
Rao and G. Veda Bhanu, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India.
4. www.cfd-online.com

5. Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics, Instructor: Dmitri Kuzmin,

Institute of Applied Mathematics, University of Dortmund