Researchers from the University of Stuttgart, including Adrian Kummerländer, Shota Ito, Maximilian Schecher, Davide Dapelo, Stephan Simonis, Mathias J. Krause, and Fedor Bukreev, have developed a new computational approach to simulate the complex dynamics of rotors, such as those found in wind turbines. Their work, published in the Journal of Computational Physics, focuses on improving the accuracy and efficiency of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for the energy sector.
The team’s novel approach combines a blade-resolved wall-modeled large eddy simulation (WMLES) with the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). This combination allows for a more accurate capture of the dynamic forces acting on rotors and their wake effects, which is crucial for designing and optimizing wind turbines. The researchers implemented this approach in the open-source LBM framework OpenLB, making it accessible for further research and development.
To validate their method, the researchers compared their simulations with experimental and numerical data from a model wind turbine. They found excellent agreement in terms of integral forces and wake velocity profiles, demonstrating the accuracy of their approach. Additionally, they conducted computational efficiency and parallel scalability tests, showing that their method can handle large-scale simulations involving up to 384 rotors and 41 billion lattice cells.
The practical applications of this research for the energy sector are significant. The proposed framework enables efficient and accurate simulations of entire wind farms, which can aid in the design, optimization, and maintenance of wind turbines. Furthermore, the methodology can be applied to other complex fluid-structure interaction applications, potentially benefiting various industries beyond energy.
In summary, the researchers from the University of Stuttgart have developed a novel computational approach that improves the accuracy and efficiency of CFD simulations for rotors. Their work, published in the Journal of Computational Physics, offers a new methodology for simulating wind farms and other complex fluid-structure interaction applications, with potential benefits for the energy sector and beyond.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.