Numerical analysis of the flow around the Bach-type Savonius wind turbine

The performance of the Bach-type Savonius wind turbine with a constant cross-section is examined by means of quasi 2D and 3D flow predictions obtained from ANSYS CFX. Simulations were performed in a way allowing for a comparison with the wind tunnel data presented by Kamoji et al. The comparison with the experiment has revealed that 2D solutions give much higher deviation from the reference data than the 3D ones, which guarantees a good solution quality. It can be stated that even simplified (lack of laminar-turbulence transition modelling and a coarser mesh) 3D simulations can yield more accurate results than complex 2D solutions for turbines with a low aspect ratio. The paper also presents a systematic analysis of the most characteristic flow structures which are identified in the rotor.