Dynamic Stall: The Case of the Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on a driven Darrieus turbine rotating at different tip speed ratios. For a Reynolds number of 3.8 × 104 , the results indicate the presence of dynamic stall at tip speed ratio less than 4, and that helicopter blade aerodynamics can be used in order to explain some aspects of the phenomenon. It was observed that in deep stall conditions, a vortex is formed at the leading edge; this vortex moves over the airfoil surface with 1/3 of the airfoil speed and then is shed at the trailing edge. After its shedding, the vortex can interact with the airfoil surface as the blade passes downstream.