Energy harnessing solution using a vertical axis wind turbine installed on the automotive rooftop.

Year : 2024 | Volume :11 | Issue : 03 | Page : –
By

Akshansh Yadav,

Piotr Prusinski,

Gangesh Singhal,

  1. Research Scholar Department of Aerospace, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh India
  2. Research Scholar Department of Energy, Warsaw University of Technology Warsaw Poland
  3. Research Scholar Department of Energy and Power System, University Liverpool Liverpool England

Abstract

The transportation sector plays a major role in greenhouse gas emissions, prompting worldwide initiatives to mitigate its environmental effects. While the shift from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles is growing, it often merely shifts emissions rather than eliminating them, as fossil fuels continue to dominate energy production. A comprehensive solution requires universal access to renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydro power, which is currently impractical due to the large scale and low energy density of these plants.
This study proposes an innovative solution that advances current approaches by relying on renewable energy, operating independently of weather conditions, being compact and portable, and reducing emissions in real-time by conserving fuel or recharging batteries. This makes it applicable to both electric and fossil-fueled vehicles. The proof-of-concept design features a standard diesel bus equipped with a rooftop turbine box that harnesses wind energy generated during motion, converting it into electrical power. The scaled-down turbine design produces an average net power of 4.8 kW during bus journeys, sufficient to power bus accessories or charge the battery.
The study includes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and the preparation of a 3D model, which was tested in a wind tunnel. The design of inflow guide vanes, turbine blade shape and size, and turbine performance at various inflow velocities and azimuthal positions were investigated, providing practical insights. The wind tunnel study was conducted at the National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF), which features a return circuit, continuous closed jet, and atmospheric conditions with interchangeable test sections measuring 3 m × 2.25 m in cross-section and 8.75 m in total length. The wind tunnel achieves a maximum speed of 80 m/s, with a Reynolds number of 5×10^6/m and turbulence below 0.1%. It is equipped with specialized instrumentation, including a 4.64 m diameter, 12-bladed fan powered by a 1000 kW variable-speed DC motor, and a virtual instrumentation-based data acquisition system.

The NWTF’s primary advantage is its turntable, allowing simulation of wind incidence angles from 0° to 360° in a single test run. Six configurations were evaluated: full-scale device, full-scale device with mesh, full-scale device with fins, scaled bus model, scaled device alone, and scaled device mounted on the bus. Wind tunnel tests were conducted at speeds ranging from 5 to 30 m/s. Experimental results confirmed model stability and the absence of significant vibrations or oscillations during testing.

Findings provide insights into the forces, RPM, and stability of the turbine model under various wind conditions, enhancing understanding of aerodynamic behavior and supporting design optimization for automotive structures. This research showcases the versatility and efficacy of the NWTF in aerodynamic testing.

Keywords: Vertical Axis Wind Turbine., Wind Tunnel., Turbulence Model, Mesh Convergence Study, Azimuthal Angles

[This article belongs to Journal of Automobile Engineering and Applications(joaea)]

How to cite this article: Akshansh Yadav, Piotr Prusinski, Gangesh Singhal. Energy harnessing solution using a vertical axis wind turbine installed on the automotive rooftop.. Journal of Automobile Engineering and Applications. 2024; 11(03):-.
How to cite this URL: Akshansh Yadav, Piotr Prusinski, Gangesh Singhal. Energy harnessing solution using a vertical axis wind turbine installed on the automotive rooftop.. Journal of Automobile Engineering and Applications. 2024; 11(03):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/joaea/article=2024/view=170147

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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 11
Issue 03
Received July 25, 2024
Accepted August 26, 2024
Published September 2, 2024
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