A two and three-dimensional CFD investigation into performance prediction and wake characterisation of a vertical axis turbine

The emergence of tidal energy as a key renewable energy source requires the development of computational design models for accurate prediction of turbine performance and wake effects whilst also being computationally efficient. In this paper, we develop and validate a three-dimensional CFD model for vertical axis turbines, which achieves high accuracy. We also investigate the limitations of two-dimensional models and present a blockage correction for improved prediction. The two-dimensional blockage correction model is potentially attractive for preliminary design studies due to its computational advantage over three-dimensional models.