Alternative Wind Power Generation: Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines

Vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) offer a number of advantages such as reduced aerodynamic noise and easier maintenance and construction when compared to their ubiquitous competitors, the standard horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWT). However, the development of these types of turbines faces obstacles that are related to their significantly more complex unsteady aerodynamics. In this talk, Rempfer starts by reviewing the fundamental physics of wind power generation in order to then discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that are associated with the aerodynamics and fluid dynamics of VAWTs.