Invelox:CFD study

Instructor : Professor Yiannis Andreopoulos

Student
: Saikat Das

How it works ?

Capture, accelerate, concentrate. The name INVELOX comes from this

dedication to INcreasing the VELOcity of wind. What the technology
produces-energy is affordable, abundant, safe, and clean.
INVELOX, by contrast, funnels wind energy to ground base
generators. Wind is captured with a funnel and directed through a
tapering passageway that naturally accelerates its flow. This stream
of kinetic energy then drives a generator that is installed safely and
economically at ground level.
Bringing the airflow from top of the tower to ground level allows for
greater power generation with much smaller turbine blades. It also
allows for networking, allowing multiple towers to direct energy to the
same generator.
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Invelox wind delivery

Physical Model

CFD Model

Computational Flow Domain

Single Invelox Case

Three Invelox Case

Geometry & Dimensions

Meshing for Single Invelox

Course Mesh

Medium Mesh

Fine Mesh

8793 Nodes, 36915 Elements

37215 Nodes, 199583 Elements

66675 Nodes, 365811 Elements

Meshing for Single Invelox

Course Mesh

Medium Mesh

Fine Mesh

Detailed view

Detailed view

Detailed view

Meshing for Three Invelox

3d View

Detailed View

Solver
Setup
= Parallel, double precision
General
= Pressure-Based, Absolute, Steady
Viscous model = k-epsilon turbulence model
k-epsilon model = Standard
Near-wall treatment = Standard wall functions
Material = Air

Boundary Conditions
Inlet
= Various at different condition
Outlet
= 0 (Gauge Pressure)
Turbulence Intensity = 10%
Turbulence length= 0.01m
Wall condition= No Slip

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Solution Methods
Pressure Velocity Coupling = Coupled
Pressure
= Standard
Momentum
= Second order upwind
Turbulent Kinetic Energy = Second order upwind
Turbulent dissipation rate = 10-3 for all the parameters

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Case Analysis
Impact of wind velocity on single Invelox (@15, 20,
30, 40, 50, 60 & 70 mph)
Influence of orientation of the invelox with respect to
wind direction (0, 90 & 180)
Variation of distance between the Invelox (50, 75,
150, 175, 200, 500 ft)
Mesh independence study (Fine, medium, course
mesh)

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Results: Single Invelox at Different Wind

Speed & Orientation

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Single Invelox at 15mph (0):

-88 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

12.3 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 15mph (180):

-81 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

11.3 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 20mph (0):

-155 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

16.2 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 20mph (180):

-144 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

15.1 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 30mph (0):

-358 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

24.7 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 30mph (180):

-326 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

22.9 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 40mph (0):

-642 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

33 m/s Max Velocity at Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 40mph (180):

-586 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

30.7 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 50mph (0):

-1013 Pa Min. Static Pressure

at Nozzle

41.4 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 50mph (180):

-935 Pa Min. Static Pressure at

Nozzle

38.5 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 60mph (0):

-1471 Pa Min. Static Pressure

at Nozzle

50 m/s Max Velocity at Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 60mph (180):

-1372 Pa Min. Static Pressure

at Nozzle

46.3 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 70mph (0):

-2020 Pa Min. Static Pressure

at Nozzle

58.5 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 70mph (180):

-1898 Pa Min. Static Pressure

at Nozzle

54.1 m/s Max Velocity at

Nozzle

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Results:Three Invelox at Various Distance inbetween them & at 15mph:

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Three Invelox 50 ft away at 15mph (0):

Min. Static Pressure at Nozzle

Max Velocity at Nozzle

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Three Invelox 200 ft away at 15mph (0):

Min. Static Pressure at Nozzle

Max Velocity at Nozzle

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Results: Single Invelox for Different Mesh Type at 15mph:

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Single Invelox at 15mph (0): Fine Mesh

Min. Static Pressure at Nozzle

Max Velocity at Nozzle

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Single Invelox at 15mph (0): Medium Mesh

Min. Static Pressure at Nozzle

Max Velocity at Nozzle

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Discussion

At higher wind velocity the invelox produce higer venture velocity and lower
static pressure which in turn produces high amount of power generation.

The 0 (along with the wind direction) orientation produces higher velocity than
180 and 90 scenarios.

The invelox should be placed at a minimum distance to produce power at highest

efficiency. For 0 (along with the wind direction) orientation at 15mph wind
speed the Invelox has to be placed at least 250 ft away from each other.

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References

Prof.Y. Andreapolos, Dr. Daryoush Allaei Invelox A New Concept In Wind Energy
Harvesting ES-FuelCell2013-18311

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