Design of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for Urban Areas

The team at Roger Williams University is working with CBC LLC creating a new design for a horizontal axis wind turbine known as HIPS WECS as a senior capstone project.This new turbine is designed to fit into an urban environment where a traditional, horizontal axis wind turbine would not be possible.The team is conducting a number of tests using Solidworks simulations and physical testing to the optimize design to meet the requirements.The goal of the project is to create specifically sized models to accommodate certain generators.The RWU housing structure will be used to power a 5 kilowatt generator.This design will give an advantage over other designs where lower winds speeds can start up the generator due to the fluid dynamics that accelerate the wind as it enters into the chamber.