CFD Analysis of Brimmed Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine

Wind energy has emerged as a rapidly growing source of renewable energy worldwide, offering a viable alternative due to its virtually infinite resource availability. One promising approach to enhance the efficiency of wind turbines is the use of diffusers, which can channel and accelerate wind flow towards the turbine, thereby increasing its velocity and power output. However, careful consideration of various factors and limitations is essential when implementing this concept. This research focuses on utilizing a diffuser with a brim design to effectively accelerate wind flow at the turbine location. The study involved a comparative analysis using ANSYS Fluent, SolidWorks Flow Simulation softwar's, and experimental measurements to optimize the geometric dimensions of the selected diffuser. The obtained results demonstrate a remarkable increase in wind speed, reaching 1.36 to 1.77 times the approaching wind speed, by implementing the brimmed diffuser. This significant enhancement in wind velocity translates into a substantial boost in power output from the wind turbine.