Aerodynamic Performance and Wake Validation of Micro Wind Turbines Using CFD and SPIV

Abstract This study investigates the aerodynamic performance and wake characteristics of a micro horizontal axis wind turbine by combining computational fluid dynamics simulation with Stereo Particle Image Velocimetry (SPIV) experiments. The micro wind turbine adopts an high solidity cascade design, which is suitable for low Reynolds number conditions. The study evaluates the performance and wake characteristics of this type of wind turbine. The CFD analysis, based on a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) approach using the k - ε turbulence model, includes the evaluation of power and torque coefficients, as well as the velocity field in the wake region. The wake structures predicted by the CFD show strong agreement with the SPIV measurements, particularly in the axial and tangential velocity distributions. In addition, the power coefficient derived from CFD simulations exhibits good consistency with the experimentally measured values obtained from torque-based power measurements, with a relative error of approximately 3.75%. The study provides a theoretical basis for the design optimization of micro wind turbines, especially in the blade cascade design, which helps to improve the performance and efficiency of distributed wind energy systems.