Numerical Analysis of the Impact of Physical Components on the Generation of Aerodynamic Loads in Wind Turbines Using P-DNS

Abstract

A three-dimensional numerical analysis of the aerodynamic behaviour of a horizontal-axis wind turbine was carried out using transient simulations with rigid blades and a dynamic overset mesh. Three configurations of increasing complexity were evaluated to quantify the influence of physical components on unsteady aerodynamic loads, with emphasis on torque and power signals. The flow was solved with the finite-volume method and turbulence was modelled with Pseudo-DNS (P-DNS), preserving high fidelity at moderate cost. The results showed the differential contribution of each component to the overall behaviour. In addition, preliminary fluid–structure coupling results with rigid blades were presented: free rotation was set by the aerodynamic–resistive balance, and rotor–tower interaction effects were reflected in the torque and power signals.