Investigation into the feasibility of a vertical axis, counter rotating, horizontal blade wind turbine structure, utilising ocean swells.
Heymans, Jan-Albert
Heymans, Jan-Albert
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Abstract
In South Africa, the significance of wind energy has increased hugely due to the high demand-and-supply gap in power generation. Currently South Africa mainly utilises non-renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources (wind, geothermal and solar energy) should therefore be further researched due to the fact that they all suffer from “the time-of-day effect”. This problem of renewable energy applications means that they cannot produce energy around the clock, that is, they cannot supply base load power. This quantitative research project focused on combining more than one renewable energy technology (wind and wave energy) to overcome this problem. It evaluated two decagon pyramid tower wind turbine installation structures, for the offshore, intermediate, and coastal regions. Utilising wave data from East London, South Africa, predicting calculations were performed to estimate the theoretical power that could be generated from these towers. Simulations of different computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were executed to verify the calculations, and an onshore laboratory experimental model was constructed to compare with simulations and calculations. Experiments were then conducted with the laboratory model. The simulations and calculations compared favourably with the data collected from the measuring equipment of the experimental model. Although the model was not perfect, it confirmed that a shore-based plant at East London in South Africa is feasible. The intermediate wave action zone produced the most energy (32,9 kW/m in winter and 18,1 kW/m in summer) and the deeper offshore zone produced less energy (28.5 kW/m in winter and 15.1 kW/m in summer). The onshore zone produced the least energy (12.9 kW/m in winter and 7.2 kW/m in summer) but is obviously less difficult and more cost effective to construct. Conclusions from this research indicates that it is feasible to use this combination of wind and wave technologies together to provide a renewable energy source, with much better energy density, that does not suffer from the “time of day effect”, while having a very limited impact on the environment.
Description
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Engineering: Mechanical Engineering
in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the Tshwane University of Technology.
Date
2023-12-01
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Tshwane University of Technology
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Keywords
Power generation, Renewable energy, Wind turbine