Exploiting the wind energy at low wind velocities is a major predicament in creating a sustainable energy resource for a country with inauspicious forthcoming energy crisis. Thus researching new and innovative systems to improve the efficiency of the wind turbines is an indispensable prerequisite. The scope of this paper concentrates on an approach to harness wind power by installing a conical shaped duct in front of the conventional turbine which is coupled with a generator. A solar panel has also been installed with the purpose of acquiring additional power supply. The reason for which a conical shaped duct is preferred is to get added wind velocity at the turbine inlet. The electrical power, obtained from the generator and solar panel are fed to the national grid. With the integration of solar panel and wind turbine more electrical power could be gained. A CFD simulation, utilizing ANSYS-CFX software, was eventually carried out to investigate the velocity profile at the inlet and outlet of the duct. The results obtained from the simulation could be employed to devise the conical shaped duct at the turbine inlet coupled with generator and solar photovoltaic cells.
Primary Language | English |
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Journal Section | Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | September 1, 2012 |
Published in Issue | Year 2012 Volume: 2 Issue: 3 |