Simulations reveal ideal design for bladeless wind turbines

The findings could help the renewables industry take BWTs, which are still at an early stage of research and development, from small-scale field experiments to practical forms of power generation.

BWTs generate power through vortex-induced vibration and take the form of slim cylindrical structures that sway in the wind. As the wind blows against them, BWTs create vortices, which are alternating swirls of air that rock the entire structure back and forth. When the frequency of the rocking matches the structure’s natural tendency to vibrate, the motion is amplified and the increased motion is converted into electricity.

In a paper published in Renewable Energy, the team showed how they used computer modelling techniques to simulate the performance of thousands of variations of BWT design. The results cast new light on the interplay between mast dimensions, power output, and structural safety in winds between 20 and 70mph.

The team found that there is an optimal design for BWTs where power generation is maximised against structural strength. The ideal design, which balances power generation against sturdiness, is an 80cm mast which is 65cm in diameter. That design could deliver a maximum of 460W, the team found, significantly outpacing the best-performing real-world prototypes built to date, which have delivered a maximum of 100W.