Numerical Study of the Effect of Flow Control Using Plasma Actuator on the Aerodynamic Performance of a VAWT

Document Type : Article

Authors

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran.

Abstract

In this study, a numerical approach is employed to examine the effects of active flow control using the SDBD (Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge) plasma actuator model on the aerodynamic performance of a Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbine. The unsteady, pressure-based Navier-Stokes equations are solved in 2D computational domain, using the finite volume method. One of the common challenges for vertical-axis wind turbines is dynamic stall and flow separation. Therefore, before applying plasma control, the flow physics around the Darrieus wind turbine is analyzed, with a focus on the aerodynamic forces and torques affecting the instantaneous torque generated by the blades. Subsequently, plasma actuators are positioned at 3 distinct chord-wise locations on the airfoils, namely at 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 chord lengths. The plasma dynamics are incorporated using user-defined functions (UDFs) according to the SDBD model. Results indicate that the 0.25 chord position yields the most improvement, increasing the overall power coefficient by up to 20%. Moreover, the plasma actuator mitigates dynamic stall, suppresses vortex formation, and enhances aerodynamic forces and torques. Overall, the primary effect of the plasma actuator is observed in the upstream flow region and during the blade’s downward motion, which leads to improvements in local blade torque and output power.

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Main Subjects

References

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Sharif Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Volume 41, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
February 2026
Pages 63-75

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