Aerodynamic Enhancements of the S834 Airfoil for Small-Scale Wind Turbines: Addressing Flow Separation with Slot Modifications

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Benha Faculty of Engineering, Benha University, Egypt

2 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology at Mahala El-Kobra, Egypt

Abstract

Renewable energy plays a crucial role in building a sustainable and environmentally friendly future. Among the available sources, wind energy has immense potential to meet increasing global energy demands. However, one of the key aerodynamic challenges faced by wind turbines is flow separation, which affects efficiency. This study employs computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze the unsteady aerodynamic behavior of an S834 wind turbine airfoil. The research focuses on assessing the impact of incorporating a slot as a passive flow control mechanism across a broad range of angles of attack from 2 to 18 and wind speed 6m/d. The findings indicate that the slotted airfoil significantly enhances aerodynamic performance, particularly at moderate to high angles of attack. Compared to the baseline airfoil, the slotted configuration exhibits increased lift and reduced drag, leading to a notable improvement in aerodynamic efficiency. The analysis of streamlines confirms reduced flow separation on the suction side, while the static pressure distribution further supports the findings. These results highlight the effectiveness of slot implementation in improving wind turbine airfoil efficiency and overall aerodynamic stability.

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