A Feasibility Analysis of Using Savonius VAWT on a Vehicle for Energy Capture

Savonius vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) are very common off-grid power producing devices. The ideal environment for its operation is undisturbed freestream wind which is rarely available in urban surroundings. Operational environment has a significant effect on the performance of VAWT related to power production. The last decade has served as a transition period in the transport industry, from fossil fuel-based to electric-based vehicles. Regenerative braking and other methods are already in place to produce electricity onboard. This work aims to produce power onboard using a VAWT in the air vents of cars by utilizing the air intake space. A 2D computational study was conducted on an open-source tool OpenFOAM to showcase the potential of power production, when the turbine is kept between the blocks representing the car body and when the turbine is in the free stream velocity. A wind velocity of 5, 7, and 9 m/s was adopted to compare both the models with Re. no. 12804, 17,925, and 23,047. The performance for the turbine between blocks performs better in terms of coefficient of torque and CP values.